The Bendaroo Lesson
I have a rule in my house that "if you see it on TV, you can't buy it." I'm strict with this rule. When they were little (pre-allowance), this rule made it quite easy to get them to shut up when asking for stuff in the toy row of stores, which was mostly why I had that rule. It's easier to have a policy than it is to make individual decisions. They start asking for something and my brain automatically says "You can't get that. You saw it on TV." There's no thought involved. It's nice and easy for me.
For the most part, the kids stopped asking for things they saw on TV years ago. Every once in a while they'll go "Mom, see this. Isn't it cool?" I'll say "Yes, it looks cool. Too bad we saw it on TV."
Santa Claus, alas, fails to follow this rule. Anna asked Santa for Bendaroos this year. Santa brought them.
Her cousin saw her open the gift and said, "too bad they don't work."
Anna was still excited, and she played with them.
Tonight at dinner she told me about the Bendaroos. The TV says they will stick to glass. Anna informed me they don't. The TV says they will stick to each other. Anna informed me they don't.
I asked her what she thought about this and she said that not everything on TV is true.
I asked the kids if we could refer to this as the "Bendaroo Lesson" in the future, and both kids looked at me and did not respond.
For the most part, the kids stopped asking for things they saw on TV years ago. Every once in a while they'll go "Mom, see this. Isn't it cool?" I'll say "Yes, it looks cool. Too bad we saw it on TV."
Santa Claus, alas, fails to follow this rule. Anna asked Santa for Bendaroos this year. Santa brought them.
Her cousin saw her open the gift and said, "too bad they don't work."
Anna was still excited, and she played with them.
Tonight at dinner she told me about the Bendaroos. The TV says they will stick to glass. Anna informed me they don't. The TV says they will stick to each other. Anna informed me they don't.
I asked her what she thought about this and she said that not everything on TV is true.
I asked the kids if we could refer to this as the "Bendaroo Lesson" in the future, and both kids looked at me and did not respond.