Raise Your Eyebrows and Pass Your Judgement, BUT Don't Take Away My Son's 'Ove' Glove

I catch a lot of hell and grief about some of my parental philosophies.

OK....that may be a little strong, but I definitely get the raised-eyebrow, disapproving glare more often than not.

Editor’s Note: I definitely don’t claim to be a parenting expert, but I have developed some viewpoints and I’ve started to figure out what works best for Team Myers.

The biggest points of contention, regarding my parental decisions, revolve around the following areas:

• Schedule

• Juice

• Gifts

To keep this post from being too exhausting, I only want to focus on one of these areas today: The gifts. (I’ll compare juice to black tar heroin another day.)

I was inspired to write this post after Crash’s second birthday. Someone said to me: “Please tell me you got him a present.”

Their eyebrow was already raised before I got the chance to answer.

“Yes, we got him one gift.”

My response did not squash the follow-up glare of judgment

that implied:

"ONLY ONE GIFT?!?!?!?"

I didn’t respond, though, because I can sleep at night knowing that I bought my son something he truly loves – but more importantly, something he genuinely appreciates.

The gift was a cute little school bus made out of recycled material (right). TK and I got it for him because the boy has NEVER met a “bool bus” that he didn’t love.

Random question: Is there a World Record for the number of times you can listen to “The Wheels on the Bus?” Just askin’.

Anyway, that was it – one “bool bus” for little Crash.

Confession 1: There are moments when I wonder if I’m depriving my son. (This usually hits me when we walk down the toy aisle at Target, and he starts acting like a hoarder at a garage sale.)

Confession 2: I personally get bored playing with the same toys over and over again.

It doesn’t take long for me to regain my focus, though: Love. Appreciation. Not going to raise a spoiled brat.

That’s my altruistic mind-set.

But I also wanted to share my common-sense rational: HE’S TWO! He thinks Tupperware and red solo cups are entertaining!

I will always provide for my son, and try to give him everything he wants and/or needs. But until he stops being amused by pocket change and cooking utensils – why compromise the college fund for some toys that won’t be touched?

The picture below tells a wonderfully great story and does a better job of supporting my stance on gifts:


Here’s an itemized list of his self-created activity:

• The ‘Ove’ Glove

• Deck of cards

• Cookie sheet

• Kitchen tongs

• Mini- spatula

• Rubber spatula

• Three cents

• Toy car

• Washcloth

• My wallet

So raise your eyebrows all you want and share your disapproving point of view, but please do it as your kid plays with the mixing bowl and the oven mitts.

Editor’s Note 2: They do NOT accept the ace of spades in lieu of a credit card at Starbucks.