My teen asked for a $28 phone case that she didn't need. I used that as an opportunity to teach her about wants versus needs.

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Parenting is a constant balancing act. On one hand, we want to instill important life lessons in our children, like the value of money and the difference between wants and needs. On the other hand, we want to maintain harmony at home and avoid unnecessary conflicts. The balancing act can be tricky, especially when parenting teens.Recently, my 13-year-old daughter asked me to buy her a $28 phone case. Her old one wasn't broken or worn out, she was just bored of it. For me, it was a firm no.