Maybe your daughter has been showing you the same designer bag for weeks, sending links and explaining that “everyone” seems to have one. At $1,500, however, the request is different from asking for a new pair of sneakers or a birthday dinner, even if your household can technically afford it. Adding to the tension may be the fact that you never dreamed of owning something that expensive at her age, which can make it tempting either to dismiss the request or give her something you never had. A designer bag isn’t automatically a foolish purchase, and wanting one doesn’t make a teenager spoiled, but four figures is enough money to justify a real conversation about value. Instead of starting with yes or no, use the request to teach her how adults decide whether an expensive want is actually worth the money.
