They say the money isn't available but they don't say why. They don't put the two together and see that a credit card is a debt that has to be repaid. It's renting money. It doesn't help that we live in a society that targets students for ridiculously expensive jeans, athletic shoes and the like. And, as Williams points out, no one wants to admit they can't afford something.
Every parent wants to give their kid the best.
The stores and credit card companies reap the benefits of our misguided ways. But a downturn in the economy, a job loss or loss of income, and the light goes on and they see how much debt they have. Get a tight grip on spending. Set up rules for what the card is for and what it's not for. Maybe it's OK to put car repairs on the card or school books, but it's not OK to buy CDs, dinners, drinks or clothes with it.