Very often kids are un-knowing participants in status signalling by adults. Parents want to signal "this child is looked after and we have a lot of capacity".

Very often kids are un-knowing participants in status signalling by adults. Parents want to signal "this child is looked after and we have a lot of capacity". Clothes, lunches, a lot of things are quietly like this. A good hand-made gift demonstrates the status of the giver and provides proof-of-work for their regard of the recipient.