Originally Posted by nuttyjoe

I liked your comment on telling your children that "it's not what you have, but who you are". More parents need to tell their children this.It's not really the children's fault because businesses have marketing departments that tell them that they can chargre enormous amounts of money for their product, and the people will want it". I remember a few years (quite a few!) ago when the Cabbage Patch doll came out . It was the ugliest thing I had ever seen, but there were stories about fights in stores, robberies, even parents flying overseas to obtain one! That set off the "Christmas Toy Race" as every toy manufacturer fought to come up with the next hot rage. Remember "Tickle Me, Elmo?" Another case of America needing to have something the next person doesn't.
I have two nephews who are into the gym shoe thing. It's actually a shame when people are robbed, even murdered for a damn pair of shoes! I ask my nephews "What is so special about these shoes in relation to any other pair"? Being young, the first answer I got was "They are the best." The marketing has gotten to the point where kids actually believe that there is such a pair of shoes that can make someone run faster and jump higher than anyone else. I was so glad when my brother told me that the local school system in their town enacted the wearing of school uniforms as a school policy. The kids don't like it, but in time; hopefully they'll see the reason for it.
You are also correct in that celebrities are in this role as models, whether they like it or not. I still think that we as parents, much as you have instilled in your sons, still must be the primary role models for our children.To expect others to teach our exact values as we see them is just asking for trouble- just ask any parent whom last year thought Mike Vick or Paris Hilton could fill that role.