Do Your Children Really Need The Shiny Hot Toys Of 2013?
Everyone wants the newest things. Trust me, I get it! Every time Apple releases a new product, consumers jump all over it even though they own the previous version. Do people really not care for the environment and what Apple is doing to factory workers to make these toys? Isn’t one phone enough? Do we really need to buy the hot toys of 2013? It's no wonder that even children have come to expect the latest and greatest shiny object. A lot of people think that if you don't get your kids the latest and greatest toys, then you are not really a good parent. Every year there will be a new hot toy. We are a culture of consumers who are never satisfied. We live in a culture of people who want a lot of things.

When I learned that Apple broke sales records with the iPhone 5, I was not surprised. Apple doesn't create the best products but they manage to get people excited for products with minimal improvements. I am sorry but a wider screen and no google maps are not as innovative as Apple would like us to believe. I have friends that waited in long lines just to pick up the new iPhone. For some reason people have to be the first on their block to own a new toy.

Now Toysrus has put out their list of this season's hottest holiday toys. You can even buy them at Macy's. If you don't get one of the toys on the list, then you are somehow led to believe that you are a bad parent. A lot of parents are going to pull out their hair just to get the toys on the list. All the other kids are going to get the toys on the list. Kids that don't get a toy on the list are going to feel left out or made to feel different. The truth is that the majority of parents can't afford to spend money on these expensive toys. As a result, retailers are trying to get consumers to put these toys on layaway. You can see all the hot shiny toys of Christmas 2013 here.

What are we doing to our kids? I understand getting toys that help children learn. The tablets for kids look great. But I can't help but feel that many of these parents are getting these toys because other people are getting them also. Nobody really wants to feel left out. The truth is that we have to teach our kids that Christmas is more than about getting gifts. Soon kids will be asking us to get them an iPad or a Lamborghini. It's time to put your foot down and say "no." Our job is to be parents. It's okay to look your children in the eye and say, "You don't need toys even if you want them."

Toys are not necessities and we certainly don't need to buy them if we can't afford them. And please don't put these toys on your credit card. We need to start teaching our kids the difference between needs and wants. Nobody needs a new iPhone or a new hot toy. Kids tend to emulate their parents. We have to set the right example.