Where we currently live, we're in the minority. We live in an area where it's almost all upper middle class to upper class. It's tough when you see all of your friends getting fancy phones or tablets or things as such. It's OK to want those things also. But, for our family, that's not a priority.
When we decided that I would be a stay at home mom, we realized there would be tough choices to make. We realized that we wouldn't be able to get a lot of fancy stuff. Our priorities are our family's well being. We have a decent house, that requires upkeep. That's a priority. We eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle. That's a priority. We go on one vacation a year. That's a priority. Spending time as a family is a priority. My kids' safety is a priority.
So, when my kids see things that contradict our priorities, they don't understand. Frankly, some of it is downright hard to explain since I can't understand people's choices either, but we try. Still, it's hard for my kids to see all of the "stuff" their friends have and they can't get.
But it's not just the "stuff". It's also the freedoms. We are on the stricter side of parents. It is a priority to us that our kids don't spend their lives in front of the television. It's priority to us that our kids stay safe online, so we have very strict internet rules. My 9 year old does not have a phone with data. The only time she can use it is when it's connected to wifi. She is not allowed to watch YouTube on it. In fact, we took YouTube off of her phone and my 12 year old's phone. So,when they see their friends who are allowed to download whatever apps they want and spend hours on YouTube, it's hard to understand why we don't allow them to do the same.
My hope is that, one day, my kids will understand why we live the way we do. I hope that they will see that we all have to choose what is important to us. I hope that they will see that they are our top priority. I hope that, when they have families of their own, they will see how hard we worked to show them that family is a priority to us, even if it's not to others.