If you clicked, I think it's time we had a talk. Time for a reality check. I realize I'm about to hop on for a ride on my high horse, but hang with me. Maybe I have a point. Maybe I'll just irritate you more than usual, but I will acknowledge that I'm not perfect at this either.
I was at Toys R Us the other day and ended up wandering my way past a completely empty merchandise wall. Totally, completely, and utterly empty. There was a slightly intense woman standing in front of the racks on her cell phone discussing the
Zhu Zhu Pet situation with someone. She was visibly traumatized by the fact that the shelves were completely empty. The anxiety in her voice spoke a thousand words.
Obviously, this is a multi-layer problem. Starting with if you think that purchasing
these creepy little simulated rats will make you the hero of the season for the low price of your moral fortitude and your mighty inflated dollar, then you are actually probably right. (Believe me, I know. I have 6 years of chasing the toy dragon and it does make them happy. In fact, sometimes deliriously happy....temporarily.)
The problem is it doesn't make me happy. For many reasons:
- I hate losing my spine and selling out to commercial trends. I do and I hate myself even more every time.
- My kids don't need another thing. At all. And the toys typically don't come close to the hype and expectation so there is a long way to fall.
- I hate to see these obnoxious eBayers sweeping the shelves of merchandise and then reselling it for exorbitant prices. I've witnessed some of the aforementioned profiters actually push little children out of the way so they can have first dibs. They are ruthless and do not deserve my mightyly inflated dollar.
- Every time I drive my kids to school and see the lunchroom packed with kids who are just happy to have their tummies filled with the free breakfast the school provides, it makes me feel physically sick. I get to go home. Sometimes, they do not. Zhu Zhu Pets are not on their wish list this season and, if they are, I bet they don't dare to tell anyone.
So, I try to start every discussion of current toy trends with a "I will never buy you that toy unless it is regular price and I have the money" statement. That way the expectations are dashed from the beginning and ultimately, I win. I either get the toy for a reasonable price ($9.99 in the case of Zhu Zhu Pets) or I don't disappoint them because I didn't. In addition, I hope that one day they will realize that although I'm not very good with money and I do buy too many toys, that I have attempted to provide them with a basic financial lesson and hopefully, a moral one as well.
Oh, and, by the way, I am on the lookout for normally priced Zhu Zhus. I'm not crazy, but I'm also not expecting to find them.
3 comments:
I am either the first idiot who clicked on your link, or the only one brave enough to comment that I did.
You are brave. I know you are not the first. Thanks for tolerating my rant.
ok so I clicked on the link for Simone (she's on the look out for some), being the good friend that I am...lol.
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