OT: Children and their toys (for parents!)

Definitely OT but parents will enjoy this - I got taken by my son in
SuperTarget a couple of days ago (inadvertently, I'm sure).

He'd had his 5 year checkup and immunizations, and had performed admirably;
he didn't cry at all even after he found out he had to get 2 shots instead
of the 1 combined that I had advised him of in advance. I don't believe in
bribery with the boys but since he took it so well and since we were so
close to ST, I told him we'd go to look at the toys. We're almost never
there; it's an hour away from home so it was a treat. He was putting toy
after toy after toy into the buggy and I finally told him that he could
choose two only for us to buy. He chose two and we went to checkout with
one in the buggy and him holding one that he was still smoking over.

So I checkout and the bill comes to ~$75, and I'm thinking, that's pretty
good for all of the stuff that I got for DS1 and DS2. I only purchased the
Castelbel bar soap and some food items (many boxes of crackers) so it was
believable. After I ran my debit card and finished payment, I looked down
and he still had the box in his hand. So I asked him if he had let the
cashier ring it up or if he had just forgotten to put it up there and, of
course, he had forgotten. The cashier rang it up separately and it was
$37.44!! I almost croaked!! I was so shocked but couldn't renege on it
after I'd told him two, especially at the register, so I paid and wandered
off in a state of shock.

While telling this story to MIL she remarked "You forgot to set amount
limits beforehand, didn't you?" It didn't even occur to me. I learned this
time and won't let it happen again. DS1 is too young to KNOW that he got
over and is just learning the value of money but apparently mom needs to pay
a little more attention!

By the way, the two toys he got were a bug vacuum that scoops up bugs and
has magnifying lenses to inspect them (they are let out unharmed), and a
Lego StarWars B-Wing Fighter assembly. Guess which was $37?

Cathy M...

Definitely the Lego, without question. Those kits are really expensive.
I know there have been times when one of my kids wants to buy one for a
b-day gift for a friend and I have to refuse. The kit will probably be
a little complicated for a 5 year old, so I predict you *both* will
have many hours of fun with it!

Jamie...

And you would be right on both counts! I was too busy looking for the 2
year old to really notice the age requirement (don't ask where my brain was;
normally I'm big on this!). The answer is ------ DAD! He has begun putting
this thing together but it is a massive undertaking! DS is pretty savvy but
I'd be surprised if even a 7 year old (7-12 years) would be able to do this.

JennP...

If your son likes Lego, but the kits are too complicated (they are for my
5.5 y.o. also) look for more open ended sets in the tubs that have the word
"creator" on them. The blue bucket that looks like a giant brick has 1,000
pieces and sells for $19.99. They also sell "creator" sets that are still
open ended but have more specialized pieces such as the buildings set and
the transportation set. HTH

Jamie...

Gotcha. Thank you; I will look for them. Jenn, are these Lego sets or
another brand like "Mega Blocks" or "Duplo?" They must not be Legos for

Charlie Perrin...

DUPLO is the LEGO brand of oversized blocks for undersized children
(too big for little kids to eat).

I should know, I was the uncle who sprung for the DUPLO blocks for the
then three-year-old nephews. I figured that if they didn't have any,
they'd have some; if they had some, they'd have more.

IMHO, a foolproof gift.

It turned out neither had any, and I heard a comment about "too
expensive."

that wonderful price. And no, they must not be Legos; we do not have to
have the name brand.

JennP...

No, actually they are by Lego. The specialty creator sets like the
transportation and animals are more pricey, but the tubs are really
inexpensive.

Jamie...

ahmward...

The lego set will be something he won't part with ever. We still have
legos and the boy is 26. Good story.

Charlie Perrin...

I'd say with a fair degree of certainty that the Lego blocks at the
Farm will get played with by the third generation.

They were first mine, then my nephews (and possibly niece) got to use
them when they were at Grandma's.

The third generation is a great-nephew that's not crawling yet, but
he'll be big enough for them in a few years. I suspect Mom (his
great-grandma) will be independent to at least 90, given her sister,
mother, grandmother, aunt... and how that branch of the family all
went to 90 or higher.

Ah-so! Thank you.