Parenting Experts: Kardashian Kids' Credit Card a Really Bad Idea
Out of the goodness of her heart, Kim Kardashian
launched a credit card this week for kids as young as 13 in what she says is an effort to teach them how to spend wisely. The famously extravagant reality show star and sisters Kourtney and Khloe unveiled the Kardashian Prepaid MasterCard, touting it as a way for parents to monitor their children's spending while teaching them money management skills.
Sound all warm and fuzzy? Not so fast, say parenting experts.
"If I were to select a spokesperson for responsible spending for children, they're the last people I would go to," Beth Feldman, founder of Role Mommy, tells
PopEater. "They're completely out of touch with reality, they're ridiculously wealthy. They are promoting the excesses of having everything you want in life and not really working very hard to get it."
Feldman doesn't think it's a good idea to give children in middle school or high school a credit card at all, whether or not parents can put a fixed amount of money on it and track its use closely.
"I think it's more important to keep the cards away for as long as possible," she says. "Wait until they really need it -- if they're away at college, in an emergency situation. The best credit limit for a kid is not to give him a credit card."
Kim Kardashian and her sisters, the stars of the E! reality show 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians,' are famous for driving Bentleys, wearing fancy, expensive clothes and generally living in the lap of luxury. Kim, in particular, is also known for her vast array of sponsorships -- everything from perfume, clothing and jewelry to diet drugs and self-tanner.
"We are excited to partner with Mobile Resource Card to create our very own financial product," the Kardashians said in a statement ahead of the Tuesday launch. "Now our fans will be able to take us with them everywhere."
And that's exactly what worries parent advocates, who say teens are very impressionable, especially when it comes to their favorite stars.
"Celebrity endorsements are particularly compelling to adolescents who want to identify with these icons by imitating how they are and doing what they value or recommend," parenting expert Carl Pickhardt, author of Psychology Today's blog Surviving (Your Child's) Adolescence, tells
PopEater. One of his
recent entries was about giving teens credit cards.
Not surprisingly, the credit card's sponsor, Mobile Resource, defended the new Kardashian plastic.
"Teens do not spend their money as their parents think they do," a company rep
told the New York Post earlier this week. "And drugs are a huge problem in this country. I give my son a small amount of cash and track his spending on his card."
But Susan Newman, social psychologist and the author of 'The Book of NO: 250 Ways to Say It and Mean It,' says there's been a long-running debate over college-age teens having credit cards, let alone those in middle and high school. As a result, many card companies have been prohibited from soliciting business on school campuses.
"Giving them a credit card is, for the most part, a bad idea," she tells
PopEater. "We're not selling a pair of sneakers here. You're really giving a child carte blanche, even if you stipulate the amount. Teenagers are very impulsive. Many of them will just purchase whatever they see."
And those familiar with the Kardashian sisters find it laughable that they're the ones behind the new credit card for kids, considering the lavish lifestyle they lead and promote.
"They represent the indulgent part of our society," Feldman says. "They're the poster children for the wealthy. But for the rest of us, they're not role models for our kids."
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Television Personality Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian attend the celebration of Perfumania and Kim Kardashian�s appearance on NBC�s "The Apprentice" at the Provocateur at The Hotel Gansevoort on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. Perfumania Teams Up With Kim Kardashian To Be Featured On NBC's "The Apprentice" Provocateur at The Hotel Gansevoort New York, NY United States November 10, 2010 Photo by Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com To license this image (62410387), contact WireImage.com
Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com
WireImage.com
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Apprentice contestant Steuart celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Jonathan Cheban celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Apprentice contestant Steuart celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Jonathan Cheban celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
Television Personality Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian attend the celebration of Perfumania and Kim Kardashian�s appearance on NBC�s "The Apprentice" at the Provocateur at The Hotel Gansevoort on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. Perfumania Teams Up With Kim Kardashian To Be Featured On NBC's "The Apprentice" Provocateur at The Hotel Gansevoort New York, NY United States November 10, 2010 Photo by Mathew Imaging/WireImage.com To license this image (62410387), contact WireImage.com
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
Jonathan Cheban celebrates Perfumania's appearance with Kim Kardashian on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York City. Perfumania Celebrates Their Appearance With Kim Kardashian On "The Apprentice" Provacateur New York, NY United States November 10, 2010 Photo by D Dipasupil/WireImage.com To license this image (62410261), contact WireImage.com
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
Donald Trump celebrates Perfumania's appearance with Kim Kardashian on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York City. Perfumania Celebrates Their Appearance With Kim Kardashian On "The Apprentice" Provacateur New York, NY United States November 10, 2010 Photo by D Dipasupil/WireImage.com To license this image (62410286), contact WireImage.com
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Donald Trump celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Donald Trump celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Piers Morgan celebrates Kim Kardashian's appearance on "The Apprentice" at Provacateur on November 10, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by John W. Ferguson/Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian Snapshots
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I guess I should know, but who is that extremely large behemoth in the middle?
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lol, the one in the middle is called klhoe
mannequin - I agree with you about the one in the middle. But what I want to know is who is the "hot tamale" on the right. I don't know about you but that one is definitely doable!
I am so sick of these Kardashians I could f*cking scream!
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God, will this trash go away, no talent morons! the only one sane in that house is Bruce!
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I agree, bruce is the only one with any sense!
So now they're concerned about how youngsters spend their money? That's hilarious! If they want to set an example to the youth why don't you start by showing some respect to your mom. I mean it's great to be cool with your mom but in the end she IS your mom! How many times have we watched the show where you girls have told your mom "shut the F**k up" or "you're F**king annoying" You guys talk to her like if she's one of your annoying friends. That's not cool. You all seem like a bunch of spoiled brats, ESPECIALLY khloe. W/out your looks or money, you'd be nothing, why don't you thank your mom for that & show some respect!
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The three little piggies.
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Thats what America needs to teach our children to spend like the Kardashians.I hear if you put Kim's credid card in your pocket your butt doubles in size
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I have no clue how all those girls came from the same parents. You have the 2, very pretty one's and then you got this cavewoman in the middle.....huh? Someone must have ended up as a puddle on the sheet, sat for a few days, then maybe the mom accidently sat in the puddle, etc, etc? Now you see the result. Does she have a tail too? It kinda looks like she's got a extra chromosome.
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L M A O
Just what in the world are those people thinking. kids don't need a card. What is it , are they making money off thses kids cards if so shame on them.
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Let's recall for a minute why these girls are famous. They are famous because their father was Robert Kardashian. Robert Kardashian was famous because he was the one that read OJ Simpson's rambling letter on TV. Basically, these girls are famous because OJ slaughtered two people.
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So one more thing to blame OJ for then?
There is that, but also Kim is famous because she had a sex tape. Now can someone tell me how someone who became famous for a sex tape could POSSIBLY be a good role model??????
Don't forget that KIM K. had sex on tape, got pissed on and then sold the tape for millions while lying through her teeth about it....you can't leave that part out!!!!
I'd take it if they'd pay the bill!!!!!! HAHAHA!
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WHAT THE HELL IS A KARDASHIAN AND WHY SHOULD I KEEP UP WITH IT? WHAT A BUNCH OF DAM IDIOTS!!!! GIVE ME A DAM VOMIT BAG. IS THIS COUNTRIES SELF ESTEEM SO DAM LOW YOU GIVEN UP ON KEEPING UP WITH YOUR OWN FAMILY TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE LOSERS? THEY SUCK!
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Please... it's just another way for them to monger money! A credit card for kids as young as 13 is insane! They do NOT need to learn how to rack up credit on pre paid cards. They'll just run it out until it's gone and that teaches them NOTHING. They need to learn NOT to ever use a credit card and stick with CASH! Save for what you want and when you have the money you buy it and it's yours! Credit cards are the reason why so many people are in huge crushing debt!
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I enjoy the reality show - the girls are talented. Why do people write such cruel things re: Khloe. She has feelings - They are all 3 beautiful in their own way. Look how many viewers watch their show - keep up the good work - millions of people enjoy the show.
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