to cringe when they both dove into the toy catalogues that raided our mailbox a couple of weeks ago. Circled, for Santa (kudos to my eldest for maintaining the magic for my youngest), are EVERY single video game (regardless of whether or not we have that specific play system), EVERY single lego set (even though there are thousands of lego pieces in my house which could be put to use on an imaginary creation), EVERY single nerf projectile launcher (even though we have 7 different ones scatted between the backyard and the basement), and EVERY single robotic dog/robot/dinosaur/helicopter. In EVERY colour.
I understand the childish wonder and awe when their senses get inundated with all the sights and sounds of the holidays. I also understand that I have to try and keep the holidays as real as possible. My big challenge year after year is trying to maintain that fine balance of fun and excitement with the damper of reality that many people aren’t as fortunate. The big media push for consumer goods versus the reason behind this holiday celebration. I’ve gone so far as to reduce the number of gifts friends and family want to give them and recommend instead that they contribute to an ‘experience gift’, or give them a gift card. The rule behind gift cards is that they have to budget for a gift for themselves as well as a donation – article of clothing, food, or toy which they can donate to the initiative of their choice. Every chance I get, I try to infuse some sort cultural, social awareness, religious or economics lesson and this year, the results of my efforts have proven to have fallen on deaf, distracted and non-interested little boy ears.
The basement is FULL of toys/crafts/sporting equipment/video games that haven’t even been thought of, never mind played with and we have a little dog whose health and well being rests solely with me (even though they swore up and down they would look after him because they REALLY WANTED a pet). So when they both announced that they wanted to be responsible and use their own allowance money to purchase books at the school book fair this week, I was pleasantly surprised! Younger son came home today with no books because he was still thinking about which ones he really wanted to buy and budget his money accordingly. He also mentioned that he saw a book on birds and it reminded him of the blue bird at the local pet store….and maybe….we can go back….and buy it…..for Christmas? Older son, on the other hand, came home with 2 books (2 actual novels with no graphics), and this poster which cost him $5 and is currently resting on my living room chair:
Speechless at his choices I then turned around slowly and replied to my youngest son. “Sure buddy. You can buy the blue macaw which cost $2500….”, and his eyes widened with excitement. “When YOU have that kind of money to spend AND you live in YOUR own place”. As he slumped his shoulders in defeat and walked away I quickly realized that tomorrow I may have every bird book in my house, with every page taped to my walls. Let the holiday season begin!!
The Single Mom Chronicles 