Do your kids pester you for Christmas presents? Care for the Family’s monthly email newsletter, E-family, asked parents how they cope with ‘pester power’ at Christmas. The answers were refreshingly honest and very helpful.

With more financial pressures on families, and Christmas coming soon, here are four tips from parents about preparing for Christmas:

• 1 Limit your child’s expectations – one parent recommended saying: “Maybe you’ll get some of what you want, but it probably won’t be all.”
• 2 Plan your spending and “Don’t be made to feel guilty by the amount other parents spend.”
• 3 Ask relatives to help out: “In our wider family, aunts and uncles club together (co-ordinated by Nana!) to buy a bigger present that is wanted.”
• 4 Underline the real meaning of Christmas – and that receiving presents is not an automatic right.

Encourage your children “to be thankful for anything you get, as no-one has to buy you anything; they do because they love you.” You can sign up for E-family at careforthefamily.org.uk/e-family