Dear Annie: Our children complain their friends have nicer things than they do

Dear Annie: My spouse and I chose to raise our kids in a neighborhood with excellent schools and a strong sense of community. The downside is that it’s also a very affluent area, and many of the families around us are far wealthier than we are. We work hard and live comfortably enough, but we can’t provide the kinds of luxuries that some of our children’s friends take for granted -- brand-name clothes, international vacations, new cars at 16 and the latest electronics.

Lately, our kids have started acting embarrassed about what we can’t afford. They complain that their friends have nicer things and sometimes act as if we’re failing them because we can’t keep up with the spending around us. It’s painful, because we’ve always tried to emphasize gratitude, responsibility and living within our means. We also worry that they’re losing sight of how fortunate they actually are.