Slinky

Kids were fascinated by this tiny slinky when they first saw it. Little A tried hard to figure it out until her wrist got slapped. Like literally, by the very slinky itself.

I now see it lying in the hallway, all alone.

Kids these days simply have too many possessions, and mine in particular have yet to know what it means to cherish. I remember vividly how I had wanted some toys so badly as a child, that once I receive it, I did everything I could to protect it and extend its life. Our family wasn't poor or anything, but "things" simply didn't come by too easily when I was small.

I rarely buy toys for my kids because thanks to generous relatives, they continue to acquire toys, books, trinkets and doodads at record speed. It's their blessing that they're showered with love in the form of gifts, but in the long run I'm really not sure if this is teaching them the right lessons in life, especially when they already associate seeing certain relatives with receiving gifts. The gifts kept coming despite my protests. So we started to hide them, and only release them at appropriate times. Next step is donating the others.

However, at the current rate of acquiring minus donating, we're still netting positive. That's why my fear of their things taking over my house is legit, and the danger of tripping over, or worse yet, stepping on their things (ouch!) is very real.

And then there is Christmas...