My other post reminded me of this...

Where do children get their "I'm better than you" mentality?

We were standing in line to put Lauren a jumperoo on layaway, and Katelyn looked over at Hailey and said "My shirt says Old Navy and yours doesn't", and then gave this "nananana-frowny" look (yeah you know the one I'm talking about).

The real kicker is..Hailey was wearing a Gap shirt (it said Gap) and Katelyn I guess noticed the difference in the letters, but still! She acted all superior and stuff. It really stunned me, I didn't even know what to say. Will and I both just looked at each other, and then told her that it was a different shirt and Hailey's shirt said Gap. Then she said "well, it's not Old Navy" ugh!..She doesn't know the value of a dollar so automatically, she thinks since we shop there it is the greatest place in the world, she also loves Wal-mart

What do you do? I mean she is only 3 (almost 4) Just wondering if anyone knows where this comes from, DH and I are both grounded people, we have nothing to be snooty about, we buy clothes just like anyone else, but we don't show off what we have, DH works hard to buy us the things we need and want and she shouldn't act like that in public, and quite frankly it is embarrassing.

Ultimately, I am here thinking...Is it my fault??, what have I done wrong??, and how can I fix it?? thanks for listening!

By Crystal915 on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 12:32 am:

I'm not sure where they get it, but I'd assume it's from public environments. Is she in preschool? Perhaps she heard older kids talking somewhere? As for the thing today, I'm sure it was less of a money thing, and more of a "I have the red popsicle and you don't!!" kid thing. Is that making sense? Since you shop at Old Navy, she thinks it's special, and was rubbing it in to her sister. Competition is human nature, and even more so between siblings. I did LOL at the GAP vs Old Navy thing, since ON is a GAP company!

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 08:14 am:

I have no idea! LOL! I agree that it's more like Crystal said, that she has the "red popscicle" and her sister doesn't!

By Karen~moderator on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 08:43 am:

Ditto!

By Kaye on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 09:58 am:

I don't think it is about snobby, but more about being special. At the age of three they are putting together where they rate in their environment. Piaget's preopperational period says that children use symbolic thinking including language to understand the world. Thinking is egocentric causing children to understand the world from their own perspective. I think this is a classic example, thinking about her and what she has, comparing that to others and figuring out how this makes her the center of the universe. You handled it right, this too shall pass.

By My3cuties on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 08:23 pm:

Crytal, no she doesn't go to preschool. I do kind of see what you all are talking about though and thanks for answering