I have a coworker who won't buy her kids anything they've seen on TV, seems a bit extreme but works for her family.

We have talked to her about commercials such that we can with a three year old. She knows that they interrupt what we want to watch and are trying to take her money. I think all you can really do is teach kids to decode commercial messages, show them that commercial cultures main goals are to create unhappiness in the victim. At least that is how I see the commercial age, it's goals are to make you want shit you don't need and feel bad about yourself so that someone with a product can make it better.

My parents never let me have the stupid (but fun) toys you see in drugstores or supermarkets. I rarely got junky souvenirs when we went on trips. They were harsh about it and I expected that I would not get stuff that I wanted most of the time. I feel like they were overly harsh but at the same time I started working at a young age and worked a lot so I could buy the stuff I wanted when I became old enough and I don't think I often spend my money foolishly.

I don't know where the balancing line will be with my Daughter but she at least need to be able to tell when people are trying to manipulate her into being unhappy.