The real evil of materialism is not the pursuit of things. It is, rather, seeing and treating other people as things — and therefore putting things ahead of people. Youngsters with a habit of thinking and acting this way are headed toward trouble later in life: substance abuse, professional problems, marital break-up, a life dominated by impulse and unrestrained egoism. So what can parents do with their young children now to build strong character and lead children away from materialism? Be confident of your rightful authority as a parent and insist that your children respect it. Your responsibility as...