What Kids Really Want that Money Can't Buy [Hardcover]

Betsy Taylor (Author), Center for a New American Dream (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2003

With parents today worried that they are raising the I want generation, WHAT KIDS REALLY WANT THAT MONEY CAN'T BUY arrives at just the right moment. Betsy Taylor's advice ranges from simple, everyday things parents can do to more sophisticated approaches, such as teaching media literacy and financial skills to their children to fight this problem. Along the way, she enlists the voices and stories of parents and educators on the front line in this war against consumerism. She also promotes the philosophy of how to have more fun with less stuff by returning to simple and meaningful rituals like dinner conversation and nature outings. Striving toward a life in which the hand, heart, and homemade is highly valued, this inspirational guide from Betsy Taylor offers a much needed helping hand.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Taylor, a mother of two, found herself fed up with the "gimme more" mantra of our culture, she helped found the Center for the New American Dream, a national nonprofit devoted to guiding Americans away from their furious earn-and-spend cycle. In this earnest volume, Taylor offers practical advice on how parents can give their kids what matters most: time, love and attention. Using the voices of experts, parents and kids, Taylor makes a convincing case that, despite pleas their for material goods (a national poll of teenagers calculates that kids will nag at least nine times to get what they want; at least 50% of parents will relent), what children actually desire are their parents. As 14-year-old Erika writes: "What I really want is for all parents to just spend time with their kids. America would be a happier country." Taylor urges families to return to simpler, meaningful rituals, such as family dinners, outings, storytelling time and shared hobbies like stargazing and fishing. She encourages parents to make their homes friends-friendly by baking after-school snacks or taking groups of pals to the playground. The suggestions in this book are plentiful, do-able and inspirational, and the kids' first-person accounts ("It is this simple joy that I plan to search out, and I know money cannot buy it for me") will provide much of the necessary motivation.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'An invaluable guide for anyone who wants to protect kids from advertising while instilling a love for life's non-material joy' - Meryl Streep --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (March 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446529648
• ISBN-13: 978-0446529648
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,185,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Let Kids Be Kids, March 14, 2005

By 

Virginia Allain "(retired librarian)" (Poinciana, FL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: What Kids Really Want that Money Can't Buy (Hardcover)

I saw this reviewed in the Orlando Sentinel. I'm impressed that the author promotes informal play. Children often are overscheduled today or plugged into the TV/gameboy/computer. The book reminds us that children need some time to just be themselves and to putter and play.
As adults, many of us feel overscheduled with a never-ending "to do" list. Let's not turn our children into this type A behavior any sooner than necessary.
Other books on this topic: Putting Family First by William Doherty and Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lacks substance, August 7, 2006

By 

H. Lee "mom in training" (San Marcos, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: What Kids Really Want That Money Can't Buy: Tips for Parenting in a Commercial World (Paperback)

This book lacks direction and any substance to be worth reading. I began to tire of the trite comments, even though I was deeply interested in the subject matter. The author didn't use much research or detailed explanations on how to provide more for a child.
It also gets old reading the many children's comments when they say they want "world peace." Though it touches on the child's desire for security, it didn't need to be recycled throughout the text for every argument. As parents we can't make the world perfect for our children - war is a way to combat evilness in the world.
Since many statements on this book teetered on political propaganda (on the liberal side), I tired of this book quickly.

I will second the opinion of the previous reviewer who stated that 'Einstein Never Used Flash Cards' by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek is an EXCELLENT book.