Saturday, November 15, 2014

Raleigh's New Favorite Toy

Just as a preface, our kids do have toys, but we buy them a birthday present or a Christmas gift, not a new chest of toys for every special occasion.  Before Raleigh was born, as we sat in a friend's house that was overrun by toys, Erik joked that our kids won't have toys, "they could just play with their imaginations."  :)

Now that Raleigh is three and started preschool, we decided that he can choose his own toys and learn a little about money.  So, we started giving him a (very small) allowance and explained to him that he could use the money for buying toys or treats or save it for later to get something bigger.  From then on, whenever he'd see a toy in a store and wanted it, we'd tell him he could use his money to buy it if he wanted.  Yesterday was one such day.  As we were standing in line to buy him a new coat, he saw a toy he wanted, but, of course, he didn't have his money.  "Well, maybe next time we're here..."  Then today, we were going to buy gloves since we didn't find any yesterday.  Raleigh asked if the "glove store" was close to the "coat store".  They were.  So, he told us that he wanted to bring his money to buy the toy he saw yesterday.  After buying the gloves, we walked to the "coat store" (where the toy was) and the line to check out was a mile long.  We explained about how we'd have to wait for everybody else first and that it would take a very long time.  We even told him we could come back after lunch or even order it online so it could be delivered to our house.  Raleigh ignored our pleas; he was determined.  He waited patiently in line for HALF AN HOUR so he could buy the toy.  And what was it?  Wooden traffic signs.  Go figure!



Raleigh held the wooden signs in the car, played with them in the restaurant during lunch, wanted to take them to a birthday party so the birthday child could play with them too (we forgot them in the car), and took them with him to another friend's house.  Not only can these signs be signs, but also blocks, puzzles, spinning toys...  During one car ride, as Raleigh was getting close to nodding off, he asked that we make sure his signs didn't fall down.  As we were leaving the friend's house, Raleigh made sure we didn't forget his signs.  I think Raleigh will take good care of this toy.

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