I didn’t learn that generics are just as good or better until I was in my mid-twenties, so I commend you for even trying to teach your son.

Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture by Juliet B. Schor

and

Affluenza by Oliver James

I speak as a mom of a 2 year old. It’s a matter of what fits into his order in the world. I think the idea of helping him to understand that the cereal he likes comes in many different colored boxes is key. Imitation sounds like a good way. Although at this point, always putting them into the red box isn’t going to reinforce the brand, it could become a problem later. But sometimes we have to do what we have to do to keep a 2 year olds world in order.

First, what is branding? It is a way of associating a reputation with a product.

As someone with allergies, I greatly value finding a new brand that I can trust. If you buy the same brand of something, there is a much greater chance that similar manufacturing practices will have been used. No certainty, but greater chance.

Would anyone seriously claim that buying a “generic” automobile would be a good idea? Clearly not. You buy havily based on the brand reputation, even on the affordable end (yes, there is prestige involved in buying a luxury car, which is the thing you are fighting against here I think, but the point is that there is utility to brand identity other than the luxury patina).

Also, there are many other products where the total cost of ownership is much greater than the purchase price. Things that get heavy use, like furniture, kitchen tools, and appliances benefit from strong construction which is only likely to be invested in by companies that care about their reputation, and they will charge a premium for that. For example, compare the quality of furniture made by Knoll to knock-offs. The reputation of that firm for quality is quite valuable.

So to conclude, I think that teaching a child to completely distrust brand names is the wrong approach. Instead, teach them to understand what they are buying and when a reputation is important.

Also, re: Michael Bash: children live in a wider world than just the home. If you say “my way or the highway” sooner or later they will choose the highway, and you will have damaged a precious relationship. I’m not saying that you should give them everything they want, merely that ultimatums (“this is a home not a restaurant”) will create resentment.

Seriously, some people just don’t like tastes. If you will eat anything, that’s more of a problem than a picky eater in my view.

Another idea would be to have him decorate his own reusable cereal box that would be for his use only and then put the generic stuff in there.

Getting off-topic, but I’m not sure I like the more-is-always better approach here. With clothes, the older I get, the more I find that fewer high-quality, stylish items serve me better than a closet-full of cheap, disposable clothes (and the former are probably better ecologically-speaking). With food I’m happier and healthier with less food that’s well-prepared (which is a completely different issue than paying for the advertising of the food).

I like the general approach of throwing out the packaging as soon as it comes in the house, divorcing it from the eating experience. (In this specific case, it doesn’t necessarily make sense, but, as I said, it could be a general approach.) And two years old is not too young to start on table manners: commercial packaging does not belong on the table, and mealtime with others is supposed to be more about the people than the food. (This latter part is considerably more difficult with small kids, as so much effort has to be spent on just getting the food into the kid. But they can grow into it.)

I know its harsh but guess what? in the end a child will eat or dont & no one will starve.

Exactly how my moms raised me & i’m doing the same with my 9 & 14 year old.

Best of luck