“I Want”
Prior to having a child, I proudly announced that I would not be one of those parents who buys My Child toys. That’s right, no toys at all. And yes, I even said it just like that, My Child in capital letters, to convey just the strength of my convictions.
Hell, if Calvin and Hobbes can go off on Martian adventures in cardboard boxes, surely my son can be creative. Toys, in my opinion, were a waste of money before a child is old enough to really appreciate them.
Like many notions I held prior to having a child, this one was quickly challenged by reality.
Flash forward to tonight, two years later.
Scene: Me pushing the shopping cart through Target, my son pointing at every toy and saying some variation of I want.
“I want the truck, I want the car, ooh, I want that (not even knowing what the toy he was pointing at was).”
I intended to just pick up a cheap car from the movie, Cars or a motorcycle, as he seems utterly fascinated by them.
While I was originally opposed to buying toys, I have come around. I enjoy giving him things he enjoys. E is a good kid and is not even close to being spoiled. He is active and we spend lots of time together, so I’m not concerned with the whole “making up for other parental deficits by buying toys” argument. And until tonight, he had never really pestered us for things he wanted.
Another vow I made prior to having a child — I will never bring My Child to the store with me. I am not going to be one of those parents teetering on the edge of sanity shouting or smacking the crap out of their kids in the middle of the store.
Yet, here I am, bringing my son to the store. A store with toys no less!
I want, I want, I want, I want.
Once in the toy aisle, E HAD TO HAVE one of the more expensive Cars vehicles on the shelves — a Dinoco Racing Team which includes a truck (that he thinks is Mac) and trailer, a car and a mini-forklift. Though it’s not a whole lot bigger than a standard Matchbox car, it cost nearly $20.
The look in his eye as he examined the box was priceless, though. So, I bought it. (sucker!)
Though I am sure my wife will be upset once she reads how much the truck cost, my will melted immediately when I saw how much E wanted it.
As we drove home, he held the box in his car seat, turning it over, tilting his head just so, and examining it. It seemed as if he were imagining the truck out of the box and on his living room floor. It’s the first time I saw him respond like that to a toy. Though, he did do sing “Sally, Sally, Sally, Sally” and dance around the house when I brought home a Sally car last month (also from the movie, Cars, in case you are among those not yet forced to see every Pixar movie).
So, there we sat on the floor playing cars together and I watched him. One of my favorite things to do is watch E when he tunes everybody else out and is playing by himself. I love watching his imagination develop as he recreates things from his experiences.
So, I didn’t feel too bad about spending $20 since we don’t do it often and he is not a demanding child.
Then, about 20 minutes later, the rug came flying out from under me.
“Another Mac?” he asked.
Huh?
“Another Mac? Go to Wal-Mart, get another Mac?”
Oh no.
Apparently, he wanted to go back and get one of the other trucks that were there, including the actual red Mac truck.
I told him we didn’t go to Wal-Mart, we went to Target and no, we can’t just go get another truck.
“Daddy, go to store?” he asked. When I said no, he then shouted “Daddy go to store!”
Thank God my wife wasn’t home. I’m sure she’d give me one of those, “see what you started?” glares.
So, I pulled E aside and sat him on my lap and tried my best to explain that we just can’t go to the store and get things we want. They cost money. And that particular truck cost daddy a lot of money and daddy doesn’t have enough money to go get more trucks.
I know it’s difficult, if not impossible, to explain a concept like money to a two year old. Yet, I tried my best.
“Do you understand?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, in his soft, hoarse voice, eyes big, wide and sweet.
And it was a sweet moment.
We sat back down and played with his cars. Well, for 10 minutes, anyway. Then he was back at the door asking, “go to store?”
Edit: That was the original ending to this post. However, an even better one. Guess who woke up at 5:40 a.m. wanting to play “Cars.” Yup, you got it.
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I *love* this… so sweet, and I know exactly where you’re coming from.
It’ll only take another year or so and he’ll really understand what you’re saying! Goes by so fast, doesn’t it?
Marylin´s last blog ..Happy Birthday to my Big Boy!
Not to scare you or anything but my father and I went through the exact same thing.
I’m still asking him to go to the store to buy me a Mac truck. I’m 31 years of age.
Marc´s last blog ..Changes
I was the pre-parent who said My Child would never be snot-nosed, as in snot-nosed brat. So God gave me the son who turned into Linda Blair when he couldn’t abide haircuts and nail-clipping, and the daughter who danced herself into tantrums.
Your kid, like my daughter, is going to be the one who keeps asking for the raise. This is a good thing.
Betsy Wuebker´s last blog ..CONSIDERING A STAYCATION WITH HOTEL MINNEAPOLIS AND RESTAURANT MAX
reading your blog makes me understand what to expect when my 10-month old daugher will be 2-year old.
a father’s diary´s last blog ..Top 5 things I like about my 10-month old daugher
Sooo tender. I can easily picture E in the cart as you two amble down the toy aisle. Don’t worry, as long as he doesn’t get a new toy every time you go, he’ll never learn to expect it. My children LOVE to walk the toy aisle with a heated passion, but rarely get anything. When they do though, they are a million miles over the moon.
Writer Dad´s last blog ..Pixar in Order
I tried…oh, I tried…to convince my in-laws not to pepper the Evil Genius with toys, with products from film and television…sigh…
I pled with them…put money into a college fund, buy bonds, invest in his home schooling.
It’s a losing battle.
He’s six, and for every birthday and holiday imaginable, they buy him…toys. Cheap plastic crap with no redeeming qualities save it occupies him for fifteen minutes…and then ends up on the floor. Or the bulky, disintegrating train table that someone thought was a terrific idea but she didn’t have to set it up in a too-small room where anyone who passes by will bark their shins on it and…pant…pant…
Because I know they won’t listen when I beg them not to saddle us with five more tons of stuff, I’ve been the one who buys him books, clothes, bubbles, and art supplies – things he’ll actually USE more than once or twice (and cost less than a mortgage payment)…but it’s no fun. So…sometimes…guilty pleasure…I take him to the Evil Empire and buy him something just because.
It doesn’t happen often…but he understands that toys cost money, and we don’t have much of that to spare just now. Teaching him that, helping him to understand that he can’t just have whatever he wants, was hard – but he’ll be better off for knowing it now, for understanding that money isn’t just “there” for the asking.
Sometimes it sucks being Mom.
I love that your little feller woke up excited about his new toy…heh…and he wanted to share the love…
Shade and Sweetwater,
K (who is often awakened by an enthusiastic child who just wants to play! play! play!)(and that’s when being Mom doesn’t suck at all)
Kyddryn´s last blog ..Galveston, Part One
Hi Sean,
You tell these stories so well I can see it all happening! Had to laugh at this one: “The look in his eye as he examined the box was priceless, though. So, I bought it. (sucker!)”
Lori Hoeck´s last blog ..‘Think Like a Black Belt’ around the web
At four years old we have this A LOT. Plus they understand birthdays and presents really well and ask about it ALL the time. Drives me nuts. I try to remind myself that it is just a kid thing and that she doesn’t really mean anything by it.
Jennifer´s last blog ..Walking Away, Wordless Wednesday
Reading your post sure makes me feel better! I think we as parents need as much consoling as our little ones do, just for different reasons. I go back and forth asking myself “do I spoil my toddler too much, too little, too often, too seldom,” and my husband is just the same. When she has meltdowns over wanting something and not getting it I beat myself up for leading her down this path. Perhaps if I could just explain it all better, then she wouldn’t act up. But then again, she’s a two-year-old, maybe she would act up no matter what?
Kimberly´s last blog ..What I Learned From My Blogging Vacation
I was one of those father’s before Lukas was born too. Have bought lots of toys now but so far have avoided shopping at stores too much with him. I am only delaying the inevitable I think.
Nice post.
SeattleDad´s last blog ..Aged Longer for Extra Flavor
I enjoy going to the store with my kids. Its one of the few times we spend time with each other outside the house. We make racecar noises as we take sharp turns in the basket.. My 3 y/o daughter and 20 m/o son haven’t thrown a fit when it comes to wanting something.
Eric´s last blog ..The next Two Weeks..
Very sweet. I avoid taking my son into shops for that reason. But it sounds like you handled the potential tantrum well.
And more importantly, you bought a Sally?! I’ve been looking all over Western Canada for one and there’s not a single one to be had. Bah.
Lady Mama´s last blog ..Greetings
Thank your lucky stars he at least played with the expensive toy.
My daughter used to sucker us into buying some fancy toy with her big brown eyes and a little cock of the head.
But she’d play with it for all of 5 minutes, throw it under the sofa then sit and play with the box it came in for 2 days.
Tara@Sticky Fingers´s last blog ..Following the Blame Tara Meme around the blogosphere
LOL!!!
THAT is priceless!!!!!
My son used to divide between big money and little money… and apparently the way to distinguish between the 2 categories was if it came in a big or small box…
It didn;t quite wirk as perfect as it should…
Urbanvox´s last blog ..dscf1303
I really liked this post. It brought back lots of memories for me. My kids are now 31 and 26 and I almost miss what you’re experiencing right now.
I remember buying my daughters this BIG Lego set one year. They played with it for about 30 minutes before they were out the door to do something else. As I was picking up the Leggos, I started to put them together and had an absolutely marvelous time…playing with my kids toy. Kids teach us as much as we teach them, don’t you think:~)
Sara´s last blog ..A Good Story: Check it Out!
LOL. How completely true. I’m pretty good at not buying my kids toys between holidays (Xmas/birthday); however… I held out on a dvd player in the car for the LONGEST time. I was a big advocate of car bingo and imaginative games (and btw Calvin & Hobbes ROCKS. I actually subscribe to one C&H per day via email)… and that’s what we did until about 2 years ago. My boys are now 11 and 13 and I have no idea why I didn’t give in sooner. DVDs in cars are the best thing since some guy came up with the idea to sell bread already sliced!
funnyrunner´s last blog ..It DRIVES me nuts…. (pun intended)
Oh lordy that brings back memories, both the NOT my kid syndrome and the enjoying the process. Two is so precious. Do hope you get over that look in his eye, cuz it will be pretty difficult when he really, really, really wants that brand new Mustang for graduating…unless it’s what you really, really, really want to do of course
Oh yes! Been there! Done that! And still subject myself to it again on occasion. Yes, I am a sucker too! I also was the person who said before children that my children would NEVER do a wide variety of things, and I have found that instead they do indeed to many of the things I vowed they would never do! What a fun job parenting is
Laura
Laura Aridgides´s last blog ..Are You Using a Company-Replicated Website?