Sparing the rod isn't the only way to spoil the child

I know it's easy as pie to spoil your child, because I do it constantly. What's more, I love it. I love to spoil my daughter. Does this make me a terrible mother? Perhaps. But it makes no difference to me. I see the joy on her face when I get her something new and I just revel in it.

After a most successful Christmas, I was with Blue at the store a few weeks ago and found Monster High dolls on sale. I bought her three. Yes, THREE. The price was great, and I had the spare cash, which I usually wouldn't have, so I decided to splurge and get her the treat. She was so thrilled, she could barely stand it, and I was in heaven.

Is this bad parenting? I think it might be. But I did it anyway.

It's not like this is a one-time occurrence. Blue gets what she wants most of the time. I like it when she gets what she wants. I enjoy being able to do that for her. Our lifestyle is such that she doesn't get much in other areas, especially socially, and I think I feel like I make up for that by spoiling her with material things.

And she does act out when she doesn't get what she wants on rare occasions. She's definitely got the brat part down to an art. So I know the adages are true. I've created them with my daughter and proven them accurate. But since I'm the one who has to handle the outbursts, when they do happen, I don't think it's a problem that I've created this spoiled little beasty in her.

And truth be told, she's grateful more than she's spoiled, anyway. I find myself proud of her so often.... But she IS spoiled. She DOES throw fits. It IS because I've shown her that she gets what she wants.

Does this make me a bad parent? I think it only makes me a bad parent if it's going to impact her as an older child, or as an adult, in a detrimental way. And right now, I don't see it as doing that. But I could be short-sighted here.

What do you think? Leave me a comment. Am I ruining her? Will this cause her to have issues as an adult?