It seems more moms are bringing babies into this world with a much larger war chest than in previous years. First and foremost, the independence and checkbook of the more mature and sophisticated mother have allowed to her be a demographic worth fighting for. While older female generations laugh and roll their eyes at the calculated planning of 20- and 30-somethings in deciding when to start a family, it is not uncommon to hear women, both married and single, announce that they will have children when they can afford it. I remember a college professor ridiculing such silly and well-intentioned plans asking, “When can you ever really afford a child?”

But today’s moms aren’t investing in basics, they’re investing for hardcore label collateral. Items such as Bugaboo strollers, triangle-shaped-gold-leaf cribs, Tiffany spoons, bilingual V-tech toys, laptops, children’s life coaches and tutoring. It’s all a part of bringing children into this world to truly appreciate the most important part of life — stuff.

From The Hamilton Spectator, Deirdre Healey observes corporations circling around pregnant women like sharks:

Retailers are scrambling to get a piece of the billions spent by older, more educated and affluent moms. The kind who wants her child to wear the latest fashion trends, play with educational toys that encourage brain development and have as many hair and skin care products as she does.

Toys that will make you smarter. Something tells me we’re not talking paper, pencils and books, oh, no. That’s for chumps!

Retailers are scrambling to get a piece of the billions spent by older, more educated and affluent moms. The kind who wants her child to wear the latest fashion trends, pThis generation of moms are competitive when it comes to raising their children, said Maureen Hupfer, marketing professor at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business. They are always trying to out do their peers with products that promise a better experience for their child or will make life easier for mom.

Fiona Petit, co-owner of Baby World in Stoney Creek, is constantly going to baby shows with the hope of finding the latest product from all-terrain strollers to baby carriers with special back support.

I love this part: “products that promise a better experience for the child”. I’m sure an infant riding around in a Bugaboo stroller is just so much more enlightened that those whose parents have to “settle” for Graco. Surely the difference will be monumental and significant. One will talk with his/her teeth clenched while the other will hurl obscenities at the bus driver.

In the wake of criticizing Madonna for her latest African purchase, I wonder if I might have been too harsh on her when everybody’s doin’ it. The only difference is they’re doin’ it with their biological children. So, what’s the difference? Could it be that babies in general becoming mere accessories? Something by which to compare and accessorize the accessory? And what happens when one grows tired of the accessory?

Of course, there are always better to be had. Better educations, better cars, better clothes, better haircuts but that does not make a better child or a child better.

If only it were that easy.

The children who are nothing more than victims of their parents material issues seem to pay the ultimate price; the love and affection they seek is only given back with stuff, but it is not stuff that they need or want. The price they pay is often times a trade off for what they truly desire. While their parents are out accumulating more stuff, they wind up with things that don’t mean much. I see it quite often. Vile and mean spirited children with a whole lotta stuff and the stuff becomes worthless with nobody to share it with.

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