Children are unable to make purchases without adult assistance, making parents an integral part of young person and child consumption. Until the age of 2 or 3 years, parents completely determine what will satisfy their child's needs.
Children begin to make selections of products such as toys and food at a very early age.
Parents interpret their children as 'pestering' particularly at younger ages, when children's speech is less articulate. Repetitive asking until it is given by parents is often children's only way of expressing their desires. Children's preferences do affect parent's consumption patterns. Professor James McNeal of the University of Austin has noted that approximately half the requests for purchases from children are successful. Parents play an important role in helping children to understand advertising.