Your little one often demands new toys. You glance at the price tag and its expensive! Saving can be difficult with rising costs of living in Singapore. We share tips to budget for that next toy while building closer relationships with your child.
Patience is a Virtue
Good things come to those who wait. It can be difficult to wait for something especially when it is right in front of you. Your young child may not understand patience is rewarding and instead want instant gratification. Do not give in.
Encourage your child to save their weekly allowance. In their excitement, they are likely to communicate with their parents about how they are looking forward to finally getting that coveted toy.
When your child finally have saved enough, they will feel satisfied that they have finally bought their first toy! That irreplaceable memory of happiness and joy! Or they may have found a new toy to chase after and have forgotten that initial toy. By then, they probably have a nice amount of savings in their piggy-bank.
Alternative Options
What if there is a similar toy to what your child wants, but cheaper? Talk to your child about both toys – discuss both toys. Stimulate their minds in both critical and logical thinking. Let your child trial both toys to see what they like or dislike about them. This activity helps to build closer relationships for both parents and child, as this encourages the child to be open about his needs. Of course, it will be awesome if your child picks the cheaper option if he haves fun with it!
Advice to Parents
There are several positive aspects in holding a dialogue with your little one as both parents and child benefit in building closer relationships with each other.
Through positive interactions, children can feel the love from their parents and develops confident critical thinking during their growing up years. The quality of their childhood and behavior is very dependent on how close they are with their parents. So spend as much time as possible with your child to build trust within the family! Children truly grows up too quickly, literally in a blink of an eye!
