[quote NineCmNails]@Mummyoflittledragon
Very similar experience here. I was sent to primary school with a heavy brown leather satchel in the early 80s. If that wasn't bad enough it was actually a hand me down from my mother with her name emblazoned on it in the inside. She went to primary school in the 1940s! It wasn't a lack of funds thing, they just prioritised hoarding money in the bank over spending it on what they thought was trivial items. Did not help me in anyway with sell worth or appreciating bloody privilege.[/quote]
I agree - That's the thing it's NOT privileged to have money but be forced to have less.
I'm really lucky in that my parents were supportive and would buy me anything I liked without me even asking.
If Disney towels were the rage on Sunday Id have had one in my favorite character by Monday morning (we weren't rich at all but my mother felt she missed out as a middle child of 6 and carries that bitterness, I think she overcompensated by making sure I never did and was the queen of a bargain).
I know other families (who had much higher incomes) who thought I was 'spoilt' and would sneer and say it was a waste of money, I also know their kids were extremely jealous and several kids stole from me multiple times.
I however have grown up to wear Primark, shop in charity shops and the poundstore and have loads of 'outdated' tech because I'm not willing to throw out stuff that works fine.
By comparison the friends whose family viewed me as 'spoilt' kids grew up to be some of the most entitled, ungrateful and tantrum-y adults when it comes to 'stuff' - they do have plenty of good personality qualities but materialistic things is not one of them.
They all have to compete to have the best, newest stuff (PS5, 3D TV, newest Iphone) and if they get given something they just complain it's not good enough when there's better, they always have their hand out for a freebie too.
Spoilt is not caused by letting kids have the things that express themselves or 'fit in' but rather by denying them what they see everyone else has, they then spend their life chasing what they feel they should be getting because it's 'unfair' to have 'less' in their eyes.
People need to remember it's the milk that gets left behind that spoils.
I understand you can't afford it if your kid is demanding £1000 handbags and Jimmy Choos (what kid does though) but a Disney towel for swim class ffs just let them have it to fit in. its only a towel its practical, not wasteful tat and not even expensive plastic tat.