Why You Shouldn't Shower Your Children with Gifts

Parents would do practically anything for their children, and what better way to show their love and support than showering them with gifts? Well, think twice before breaking out your wallet, because new research shows that kids used to getting little rewards grow up to be more materialistic as adults.

The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggests that spoiled children can grow up to think that things define who we are.

"Using material possessions to express love or reward children for their achievements can backfire. Loving and supportive parents can unintentionally foster materialism in their children despite their best efforts to steer them away from relying on material possessions to find happiness or to judge others," the authors wrote.

The team, from the University of Missouri and the University of Illinois at Chicago, surveyed just over 700 adults to determine how "material parenting" affected them over the long term. Participants were asked questions about their current life situation and values, childhood circumstances, their relationship with their parents, and the rewards and punishments they received during three critical ages of childhood - grades 3, 7 and 10.

According to the results, adults who had received more material rewards and punishments as children were more likely than others to use possessions to define and express who they are.

What's more, adults who received many material rewards as children were likely to continue rewarding themselves with gifts and goodies and defining themselves through their possessions.

"Parents don't want their children to use possessions to define their self-worth or judge others, yet loving and supportive parents can also use material goods to express their love, paving the way for their children to grow up to be more likely than others to admire people with expensive possessions and judge success by the kinds of things people own," the authors concluded.

These findings serve as a gentle reminder that parents, despite their good intentions, should refrain from doting too much on their children, and find more constructive ways of rewarding good behavior and reprimanding bad behavior.

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