As recent reports indicate, Americans are spending more, saving less, and the outlook for future generations earning capacity is growing dim. To this I say "HUZZAH!" I hope my children make less money than I do. More than that, I hope they learn to live with lower material expectations than their peers and their parents.
Marketers have long known about the "nag factor" and are brilliant at accessing the bottomless and apparently trainable greed of younger and younger children. Manufacturers are no longer as concerned that Mom approves of certain toys. Instead they develop "work-arounds" to get the children to nag their way into securing their favorite slutty doll.
So I've developed a solution. It's called "Operation Sackcloth & Ashes" and it goes like this: From now on, for each Christmas, birthday, or gift-oriented event, I'm going to give each of my daughters a simple gift from nature -- a rock, a pinecone, a wee little tiny birds nest full of delicate eggs. Soon, the darlings will be exclaiming over the simple joys of eating breakfast, wearing clothes, breathing, and having heat and water inside the house.
By taking away television and restricting all contact with other children, I hope to have the children ready for Waldorf by Fall.
