Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

Date: 11/29/2009
Stress Level: Not really though a little under the weather
New Grey hairs added: 3






I sat the better part of the day today and watched Rowan
play with the night light we got from Kinder Glo to review.
In the mouth, stare it down, back in the mouth. Bam Bam
Bam on the highchair.


"Nope, it still looks like an owl that changes colors!"


Back in the mouth, repeat.


I learned something.


No, not watching her with a nightlight, though
that did cement the deal. I learned about children
and our need to get the "must have", most expensive
gadget on the market, no matter what the category,
when all they want is something simple.


With my son 16 years ago I was guilty, lock me
up and throw away the key guilty. Your basic items
were a big expenses for he had to eat, sleep and
live in style. Clothes? Well, lets not go there for I
found myself at Kids R us ( we did not have the
selection of stores we have now) every three months
buying him a whole new wardrobe. Top to bottom.
And toy's?


Oh, my, GAWD! You would have thunk I owned
stock in every toy store. To this day his Father does
not know how much I spent on that first Christmas
and he never will. I could have put a darn good down
payment on a car. We had only been together a few
years by that time and still kept some of our finances
separate and that was the end of my savings. But
I sure filled that tree! Did he love them all?


NO


He was only 2 months old and if memory serves
he outgrew most of them before he never even laid a
hand on them.


Now did I learn?


NO


By the time he was five years old our back yard looked
like an obstacle course of step 2 toys. Wagons, Castles,
Forts, Slides and other gizmos. There was so much that
when I was at work the neighbors would bring their kids
over to play in my backyard house of fun. Did Andrew
love it then?


NO


All he cared about was his Buzz Lightyear doll. Every-
thing else in and out of the house was ground clutter.
I would like to think I have learned a lesson with
Rowan but I haven't. I am just more frugal. With her I
took advantage of Craigslist, and free cycle and hit
more then one garage sale. I saved a fortune. Okay,
I will admit I am a clothes hound and I have waited
16 years to dress a little girl so I have spent some
major cash there but I have bought a lot of her every day
items at thrift stores. And I could just kiss whoever invented
that Onsie extender! What an invention!


What is Rowan's favorite?


Well right now its a mirror I paid 10 bucks for
( another great invention because with Andy I had to
dig out my compact and he drooled all over it) and her
Kinder Glo Nightlight. Total cost under 30 bucks and it
keeps her amazed for hours! The room full of gadgets
that cost an arm and a leg? Untouched, again!






Moral of the Day: Kids have more fun with the box
something comes in then what came in it!