My parents gave my son an experience rather than a toy for his birthday. It was a game changer.

• I didn't have many toys growing up, but I had a happy childhood.
• My parents took my son out for his birthday instead of getting him a toy, and he loved it.
• Now, all of my kids want experiences instead of toys, and I'm so glad.

Growing up, my parents never had much money. I was the youngest of four kids, and both my parents worked hard to support us.

As a little girl, I only ever had one teddy bear and very few toys. The teddy bear came everywhere with me. I think that because I didn't have a million different things to play with, I really treasured what I did have.

To be clear, I never felt like I missed out on anything as a child. In fact, my childhood was an extremely happy one, full of laughter, love, and wonderful memories, thanks to my mom and dad. They always valued experiences over material possessions, and I think that lesson held me in good stead as I grew older.

I wanted my kids to value experiences, but they quickly accumulated toys

When I first became a mother, I wanted to set the same example for my three kids. I wanted them to appreciate what they had and value experiences over "stuff." However, despite my best intentions when I first became a parent, things changed over time.

Year after year, they'd accumulate more and more toys at birthday parties and Christmas celebrations. But it wasn't just friends and family spoiling our kids. If I'm honest, my husband and I also got into the habit of trying to go bigger and better with each birthday that passed.

Now that our son is turning 10 and my daughters are 6 and 2, I'm embarrassed to say they have everything — or at least it feels that way. There are toyboxes laden with gadgets they never look at, unopened science sets and unbuilt Lego kits packed to the rafters in cupboards, mountain bikes and motorcycles, an Xbox, and a Nintendo. In all honesty, it makes me feel embarrassed just thinking about the materialism under our roof.

Recently, my mom asked me what to buy my son for his 10th birthday in May. "How about a new football?" she suggested, as he is a huge fan of the Australian Football League. "He has three, sorry Mom," I replied, feeling sheepish and deflated. "What about a new soccer ball, or a coin album?" He had all of those, too.

Finally, she made a winning suggestion. "It sounds like he has everything he needs, so how about Pop and I take him for a special day out?" she asked. I loved the idea.

My parents took my son out for his birthday and he loved it

So, when my folks visited us, they took my son and his friend on an all-day outing. They went bowling and had McDonald's; it was a massive treat for the boys, as we live in a small regional town in the country. They had to drive to the closest rural city, an hour away, which was all very exciting.

My son had the best day and kept raving about how much he enjoyed it. Afterward, he said he would rather have experiences than things for all of his birthdays moving forward. My 6-year-old daughter even piped up and said she would love an experience, too, for her birthday in December.

Research has shown that buying life experiences — like a meal out, a vacation, or going to the theater — rather than material possessions leads to greater happiness for both the consumer and those around them. I feel like my son's reaction is testament to that.

I've always preferred experiences over material possessions, and I'm so happy my kids have finally learned the value of making memories rather than accumulating stuff. Material possessions give you a quick hit, but they quickly lose their novelty. Meaningful experiences, on the other hand, create memories that last a lifetime and can be treasured and revisited in years to come.