If you grew up wearing hand-me-downs, hearing “we can’t afford that,” or watching classmates get things your family could never buy, it can shape how you spend money as a parent. Once you have children, giving them the sneakers, electronics, vacations, or overflowing birthday hauls you missed may feel like healing an old wound. There is nothing wrong with wanting your kids to have an easier childhood, but buying kids too much can quietly turn your past deprivation into their expectation. The better question is not, “Could I have afforded this as a child?” but, “Does my child actually need or value this now?”
