I am guilty of buying my two boys too much stuff. There, I said it. Other Moms are talking about it too. Our home is overflowing with junk. However, I haven’t always been this way. There have been plenty of times when Hot Daddy and I were new parents and we barely had enough money to buy food & diapers.

But now I buy a little something for the boys almost every time we go somewhere even if it’s just a quick trip to the grocery store. I don’t buy extravagant gifts or anything like that but I do catch myself and HOT Daddy (he’s really bad for it) buying the boys something like a book, a hot wheels car, or sometimes a movie when we go into a store. For example, a couple days ago I went to get school snacks for Future Bam and ended up buying him one of the very few Sponge bob DVD’s that he didn’t already have and his little brother got a Disney Cars toy.

Obviously I know this is a very bad habit and I don’t want the boys growing up thinking that they can have any material object any time they want it. I was not raised that way and I don’t want my boys to be raised that way but it’s hard to not give in to a tiny little toy that puts a smile on their face when we go shopping. For the most part we buy things that cost a $1 or $2 but those costs do add up and could be put to better use. I’m not sure what “better use” yet. Maybe some of you could give me some ideas on how to spend the money better if I do in fact stop spending it on junk. I know I could be paying more towards our debt but really is that $2 going to make a difference?

So, let’s hear it. I’m really interested in hearing how many of you buy your kids too much stuff? Do you buy your kids something every time you go somewhere? And if you do buy too much is it because you feel guilty? I know that is part of my reasoning. Honestly, when Hot Daddy and I have been really busy for a week or two and haven’t really gotten to spend a lot of real quality time with the boys I try to make up for it and I guess that’s where the buying stuff comes in. At least I am being honest and acknowledging this problem but in the grand scheme of things it probably doesn’t even matter. What do you think?