Summary
THIS morning started with a bribe. My son is only four, so it wasn't necessary to dangle some flashing, beeping gadget before him as temptation. As I fought to prise a clean jumper over his head, I told him he could have one of those biscuits he liked once he was wearing it. The previous day I told him he could watch one television programme, but only if he got ready for nursery first.
This might not seem like rampant, evil consumerism at work. It may not instantly relate to the new Unicef report which says British children are caught in a "materialistic trap" so that, instead of getting to spend time with their families, they are bought off with "branded goods" by their parents. But, in my view, this is the germ of the problem they describe - this is where it starts. In the UK, treats are the essence of the way many of us bring up our children. Even if you aren't distracting, bribing or compensating your child with high-value retail items, you are probably palming them off with something smaller.See the full content of this document
Extract
I Bribe My Kids. What's the Alternative?
Take another example. Here is the kind of line commonly used in our household: "When we've walked all the way to the park, we'll have a nice ice-cream." This can loosely be translated as: please, please walk to the park - I'll do anythin...
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