I had a very interesting conversation Friday that was somewhat supplemented by an experience I had yesterday. Nothing earth-shattering, just about the entertainment of children. The basic idea was the kids are overentertained from a very early age. I'd agree with this - I remember when I was younger being either sent outside or banished from the kitchen so my mom could get stuff done. I also had to participate regularly in chores from the time I could take minimal direction - mom said she had me acting as gofer by about Ragsy's age, something I do as well. Apparently this is not so common now. From what I've learned from a lot of people at work, many people cater to their children's entertainment needs all day on the weekend, from buying them toys virtually every weekend to letting them play constantly with electronics or watch TV all day and not involving them in chores. I admit that sometimes it's easier to do it yourself - waiting for a toddler can take three time the amount of time you were hoping to spend and can cause some frustration (but I guess that's when you stop).
So, I was at the St. Louis Bread Company yesterday and was reminded of how lucky I am that my son is pretty self-entertaining. He's also a very cheap date and requires only a minimal amount of toys. A guy was sitting at a table next to us with his two children (I think a girl and a boy) and was on the cell phone almost all the time. They had a ton of stuff with them -books and toys - and this was just the 30-45 minutes they spent at breakfast. Finally, he got off the phone and his little girl (about 5 years old, I think the boy was Ragsy's age) complained of being bored. His response was - "Okay, let's go to the toy store." He talked up the toy store a lot, then took one to the bathroom, asking me to watch his daughter for a few minutes. She and I chatted for a while, then he came back and they left.
I couldn't believe the sheer quantity of stuff they brought in, though. The older girl had typical girly things - a purse with a coloring book, pens and pencils, etc. You know, normal stuff you'd expect a little girl to have now. But I was shocked at the sheer amount of other stuff on top of that. They were carrying a gigantic bag bulging with all kinds of junk - stuffed toys, some books, some toddler-appropriate toys for the little one, and a few other odds and ends. But it was all toys. And they were going to buy more! I was a little surprised because I had come in with Ragsy with nothing but my wallet. I had a diaper bag in the car with some wipes, diapers, a few snacks, etc., since we were going to the Magic House after running a few errands. I was amazed at the contrast.
I think the point is that I'm extraordinarily lucky I have a kid who can be entertained by a black straw and a cup and greeting everyone he encounters with an enthusiastic "Hi!" (sometimes five enthusiastic "Hi's") and a demonstration of his prowess with said straw. This will come in very handy if I have issues drumming up business or finding a job. Yeah, he's ridiculously energetic, which is one of the reasons that after doing some light cleanup on the weekends we spend a ton of time outside. The heat fazes him not at all; neither do all the bug bites. He runs so much I've taken to wearing a sports bra and workout clothes if I'm at home and we're playing. We often take long walks (for a toddler, anyway) and I'll toss him in the car and go to local parks with walking trails so he can burn some energy. One of the reasons we have a membership to the Magic House is because I get hot; Ragsy doesn't care. But I'm lucky that all he really needs is a stick and a place to run.
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