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I don't have children, but I do try to guide my nieces & nephews (always have against their parents wishes) about "working" for spare change, and making sure that what they're "saving" up for is worth while. Meaning are you really willing to work hard for that particular item, or just halfing the job and hoping to get "gifts" to afford that item. An example is one of our middle nephews wanted to get some upgrade for his (current) favorite game, and I asked how he planned to earn the money for it, and he said "I Don't know, maybe work for it?." I asked him if he wanted to pull weeds for the price of the upgrade and he lit up and said yeah... he never did the work, and I haven't paid him for it. Another example is our oldest niece wanted to be a stylist and get a certificate/degree at some beauty school..upon her graduation I sent her a check for "your new business." She didn't get her license in the state she's living in right now, and she hasn't cashed her check yet either, but she has taken on a PT job to pay for her licensing in the other state she currently lives in. If they really want something they will find away, and if they really need something, they'll work hard for it. My parents instilled this in my sister and I when we were children... where we thought a quarter was equivalent to a million bucks, cause by the end of the week any chores we didn't do, we didn't get that quarter for candy, junk, and entertainment. It's all about boundaries and logically find a solution to the challenges that life throws us to make us better people. Throw a dog a bone and he'll love you til its gone, show him a filled food bowl and he'll love you forever. In other words if you give children everything they want and not what they need, you aren't helping them to survive when you are no longer alive, you're showing them how to get by, always depend on others for their needs, etc. I wish every parent the best of luck with this...it's a fine line - knowing when to give and why vs when not to and how come.
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Now we are helping oldest dd and middle dd raise their kids since both are divorced. The 2 granddaughters are 7 and 5 (grandson is 19 months) and both are very spoiled when it comes to shopping. It is hard for any of us to say no even when it's a dollar store item. DH/Bapa is firm but he doesn't shop with them much. 
How did you teach your children that they need to earn and save up for quality items and not blow it on cheap stuff? More importantly how did you teach them to save? My dh and I are savers and tried to teach this to our own daughters and now feel as if we should help instill this in our grandkids but as a grandmother it's hard to say no. 
Special Member of the Family
:pumpki nsg 
