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A Gift of Love --Saying 'No'
| Article
# : |
12093 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
12 / 1987 |
1,480 Words |
| Author
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Nancy Karkowsky
Nancy Karkowsky is a free-lance writer and the mother of two-
year-old twins. |
"Tis the season to buy dollies,
Fa la la la la la la la la;
Model trains and miniature trollies,
Fa la la la la la la la la;
Designer jeans and holiday apparel,
Fa la la, la la la, la la la;
Madison Ave. has us over a barrel,
Fa la la la la la la la la - aarrgghh!
(to be moaned, dirge-like, to the tune of "Deck the Halls")
If you feel like substituting similar words to the traditional Christmas carol, you have probably been assailed by the plaintive pleas of offspring beguiled by television, stores, and towering billboards "selling" Christmas.
Seductive advertising directed at children is a dilemma for adults, especially during the holiday season, when children's expectations run high and parents feel committed to buy.
Eventually the issue comes down to deciding when and how we will say no to our children's excessive demands. Most of us have limited resources. Realizing that saying no is an important part of setting limits and establishing values does not solve the problem of selecting the best way to do it. We would prefer to be reasonable rather than arbitrary in our denials, conciliatory rather than autocratic in our delivery.
Dr. Steve Shelov, professor of
... (1996 of 8657 Characters)
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