How do you keep your children grounded?

[Jenlee]

No, I'm not talking about punishment. I was reading in a Laura Ingalls Wilder book about her going to a party at 15 and having an orange with dinner. To hear her tell about it, it would be if we had Julia Child fix Baked Alaska for us.

My 7yo dd is not "impressed" with anything and I know it's because in our quest that she "have it better than we did", we have overcompensated in certain things. She wouldn't be impressed if we drove her to a orange grove, much less eating an orange for dinner.

How do you keep them from getting used to everything?

[Lori Biever-Launder]

As a rule, we don't do lots of exciting activities each week. Except for this week and next week (the end of summer vacation)we have been doing only one "cool" thing a week. Otherwise, we just go to the library or video store or visit with friends/relatives.

My kids don't automatically get every new toy out there. Actually, they have very few of the latest things. I prefer to buy them things that fuel their imagination rather than Duracell's pocketbook! My boys' room still look like a toy store exploded in them, so I don't think they are deprived!