DEAR HARRIETTE: It’s not even Halloween yet, and my kids are already telling me what they want for Christmas. That’s because the kids’ channels they watch are cluttered with toy commercials. I hate it because I do not want them to think we are materialistic. I was taught to think of Christmas as a time to give to others and to spread joy, not to chalk up how much loot I collected. How can I teach this to my kids if they are inundated by commercial pleas to have their parents buy them things? -- In the Spirit, Cincinnati
DEAR IN THE SPIRIT: Your job is to teach your children your values. One way to do this is to limit their exposure to television. The fewer commercials they see, the less their longing will be for something they may not even want. Give them guidance on how you approach gifts during the holidays. Can they request one main gift? What are the boundaries of their wish lists? Tell them, and set their expectations for what they will receive and for what you expect them to give. By changing the conversation, you help to balance what they are seeing from outside sources and what you believe.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)