"Materialism"

At yesterdays Girl Talk meeting, the topic of discussion was materialism. I was pleased to see that several of the girls brought friends with them. New members are always welcome :)! 

I asked the girls if they would prefer to meet with the same high school mentors or rotate each meeting. The vote was virtually unanimous for the latter, so we split up into small groups with new mentors.

In small groups, the mentors read through a quiz with questions such as:

"Are you unsatisfied with what you own because there is always something else that you want?"

"Does your self-confidence depend upon having the lastest styles and technology?"

"Do you make judgements about other people based on what brands they wear and how much money they have?"

These questions prompted discussion about materialism between the high school and middle school girls. I encouraged the mentors to be honest about themselves and to admit their own shortcomings in order to make the girls feel comfortable having earnest discussions. In my own small group, the girls articulated that they often feel pressure to keep up with trends and wear the "right" brands in order to fit in. I incorporated last meeting's discussion on our personal values by asking the girls if they thought that those values or their possessions defined them to a greater degree. Their responses were insightful. Many of the girls told me that they thought that their values should define them but that they often feel like others perceive them in terms of what they own. We talked about ways to incorporate our individual values into our daily life and to hold them above material possessions. Throughout our talks, I reminded the girls that material possessions are not inherently bad, and that they should enjoy them, as long as they don't let their possessions define them!

After our small group discussions on materialism, I shared a piece of advice that I once received from a mentor of my own: "There is no use in feeling guilty about the blessings that you have received. Instead, you should appreciate those blessings and use them to bless others." Compared to many people, children raised in Medfield grow up with privileges that other children will never know. I have frequently thought about how lucky I am to have been granted access to an excellent education, a home, a supportive community, etc. Since my own middle school days, I have strived to take advantage of my blessings and help others! In order to provide the girls with an opportunity to do this, we sorted socks and underwear for Cradles to Crayons, a nonprofit dedicated to supplying children in low-income or homeless situations with free, essential items. The girls were enthusiastic about this and a pleasure to spend time with! I am looking forward to our next meeting on Wednesday, May 27th! 

:) Paiton