Bec and her son, Fin.
by REBECCA SPARROW
I just spent three hours trying to track down a 12 inch plush Peppa Pig doll.
My four year old – all of a sudden – has decided that Santa is absolutely definitely bringing one to her on Christmas Eve and like one of Naomi Campbell’s terrified personal assistants I have spent the past three hours ringing every single store I can find to get one.
SOLD. OUT.
Seriously. Bring me all the wine. RIGHT NOW.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, alright. My credit card has started to weep when it sees me coming.
You know, I’ve watched A Very Brady Christmas, I KNOW that Christmas is not about the presents … but every time I enter any type of shop at the moment (The supermarket! The chemist! Australia Post!) I keep finding new things to buy my four-year-old.
Because you see that Tinkerbell-Soap-On-A-Rope thingy is going to make her soooo happy. For thirty seconds. Until she opens the next present and completely forgets about it. BECAUSE SHE’S FOUR.
It’s as though I’ve decided that my parenting report card hinges on how Christmas Day goes down. WHICH IS INSANE, I KNOW. And yet, here I am, Tinkerbell Soap-On-A-Roping my way into major credit card debt.
Or I was. Past tense. Because 15 minutes ago, Ava gave me a reality check.
I asked her what she’d like to do in January (when mummy is having a nervous breakdown under the dining room table). Did she want me to take her to a waterslide park? To the zoo to see the pandas? How about a movie with popcorn?
“None of those memories featured expensive toys involving loads of AAA batteries”
And she grabbed my hand (I know, it was like some kind of Hallmark moment) and she said, “I really, really, really want to make choc-chip biccies with you”.
And that’s when I got it.
It was her ‘ice-cream soda’ moment.
When I think back to my own favourite childhood moments, I have a few. Sitting on my parents’ bed while dad made up stories about the Purple People Eater. Singing Wild Cat Kelly in the car with him on the way to tennis. Sitting with my mum on the rumpus room floor making peg dolls with her one day when I was home sick from school. That was also the day she taught me how to play hopscotch. Sitting at the kitchen bench on Saturday afternoons while we made ice-cream sodas together.
Notice how none of those memories featured expensive toys involving loads of AAA batteries?
At the risk of ending this post like A Very Special Episode of Seventh Heaven … it’s a reminder that our fondest childhood memories are rarely of expensive overseas holidays or toys. Our own favourite memories so often are of spending time with our parents. With the people who loved us. Why would our own kids be any different?
I hope you’re listening, Peppa Pig.
What is your favourite childhood memory? Are you feeling under pressure to buy the kids in your life expensive gifts?
Comments
89 Comments so far
My nine year old son was equally thankful and chuffed with his $150 Lego set and his new “singing” toothbrush. We need to diarise these reminders about December 1st each year.
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I spent $15 on my three year old son’s Christmas present this year. Because I know that I can get away with it (until when I’m not sure!). He also gets presents from our extended family. Nothing too expensive, but he appreciates every single thing he opens. He has all of us smiling at him on Christmas Day. His little face lit up when he tried pavlova for the first time, and he couldn’t be happier.
You are absolutely right Bec. It is the experiences that matter.
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I love this post! My favourite memories of my childhood were my parents teaching me to skip rope when I was 5. We were doing it at preschool and I didn’t know how, so Mum and Dad taught me at their car wash one Thursday night during late night shopping in between customers.
Also when we had a cyclone hit, and we were without power for a few days – we played board games, mum baked (we had a gas oven) and played in the puddles of water in the yard.
I remember very few presents at all – cabbage patch doll and a trampoline are about it. The memories playing with them far outweigh the memory of opening them at Christmas!
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I love your writing Bec. Love love love.
I actually laughed out loud at the “terrified like Naomi Campbells assistant” line! I never LOL when I am reading online! Brilliant!
Righto, back to the question at hand, one of my favourite childhood memories is singing with my parents. Both parents are quite musical and would love to burst in to song and we would take turns singing parts of songs. My older brother used to begrudgingly join in, but secretly I think he loved it too.
Another fave memory of mine (I have shared this one before but I love it) was sitting around with the fam when I was about 5, watching “Its a Knockout” and eating Snack chocolate. We used to all pick a different team and cheer for them. Good times.
Another one, because it is Christmas, is mum and dad used to let us wake up any time we wanted on Christmas day as long as it was past midnight. I remember getting up at 3am one Christmas morning, waking up my brother and mum and dad to get our pressies. We got a Commodore 64 one year we weren’t expecting and it was probably the most memorable Christmas moment ever. I remember crying I was so excited!
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We used to watch It’s A Knockout every Sunday night too! It was the one night we would have take-away (Pizza Hut or Kentucky Fried Chicken) and we’d all sit together and watch it.
Ah, memories! And that’s a blast from the past reading the words “Commodore 64′!!
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My favourite childhood Christmas memory is to do with our Nativity scene. About a week before Christmas, my mum would put the stable up on a low, long bookcase and my brother, sister and I would start moving Mary, Joseph and the donkey towards the stable little by little each day until they arrived on Christmas Eve (after which the baby Jesus and the shepherds would appear). Then we would start with the three kings who would arrive on January 6th. Also, as we have a German background we always used to open our presents on Christmas Eve- Father Christmas used to come while we were at church!
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I love that. What a gorgeous and meaningful tradition. Thanks for commenting!
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We took a break from shopping and presents yesterday and painted our nail red and green instead. Nothing like mummy time
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When asked what I wanted for Xmas for my parents, I asked for (having recently lost my job, and living on the other side of the country to them) an extended loan to help me pay my rent til I secure full time employment again.
I remember always having a long list of xmas wishes when I was young, but I couldn’t think of anything I wanted this year… What I needed was that loan, so I didn’t have to live on the streets.
Mum still bought me a present though – she sent me a pair of black leather flats, because she knows I wouldn’t buy such boring shoes for myself but they are necessary for work (when I FINALLY get a job again) and a few books to read, because she knows I miss having a disposable income to spend at the bookstore and she still likes the idea of us having a surprise under the tree to open on Xmas morning – I don’t think she’ll ever quite let us grow up entirely!
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Thank you Bec – what a wonderful reality check and how blessed are you to have an insightful and articulate little one.
My 21 year old asked me for “a month with you Mum” for Christmas (he lives in another city at Uni) and it was my delight to give him that – we have sat up late talking over a glass of wine, gone out for lunch, cooked together, he gets up and drives me to work so he can have my car for the day, he has hung out with his younger sister and I can see how refreshed he is by reconnecting with his family. Materially he has all that he needs, I think his present has been more valuable than anything material. He heads to WA today to spend Christmas with his Dad and step mum and I know that he will have a terrific time and there will something fun for him to open on Christmas day, but he shared his heart with me and I am also blessed to have received that gift.
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“like one of Naomi Campbell’s terrified personal assistants”
“At the risk of ending this post like A Very Special Episode of Seventh Heaven … ”
Soooooo funny Bec!
I have a bad habit of delighting all my family with pictures of my children on facebook…..The other night it hit home to me as I was doing this, one of the said children stood next to me saying “can I have a cuddle?” and my reply was “sure in a few minutes, let me just finish this”
Arrgghhh what was I doing….Writing a speech for Obama? A thesis on quantum physics?…..Really Lou!!!!! That facebook crap could have waited…….I have to grab these random cuddles while I can!!!
New Years resolution……Less “updates” about my life and more living it….Who’s with me?
PS anyone got the Dali Lama on speed dial?
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I hear you, Lou. I’ve had similar “laptop” moments with Ava when I’ve been working. And I think … there’s such a short window of time when she wants to sit with me and draw Christmas trees.
I always think of that line: the days are long but the years are short. So true!
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MY 4yo daughter wanted this Pillow Pet very much. I went to buy it, thinking oh no another soft toy and who knows how much that cost and it cost only $7! Win Win!
As for the memory moments, mine are mixed. I still remember receiving the doll I wished at the age of 5 (i think), I think it’s still in storage at my dads house and I treasure it. But also memories like gardening with my parents are very fond memories.
My daughter LOVES pic-nic’s. I think she remembers every single pic nic we have ever had(and we had many in all sorts of places), so often I do a pic nic in our backyard. It’s like an outing/adventure but just at home.
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Peppa Pig is on dvd loop at my house, the kids go crazy for it!!! At 5pm when it comes on 3 times in a row on abc, well they are in heaven – and I can get dinner ready for them with no interuptions!
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favourite childhood Christmas gift was a red school case (it was the 70′s, this is what was in!), and to my 6 year old eyes it was brimming with toys, a stampset stands out as being a favourite. my sister has in her treasures a green velvet bag that was made by our grandmother for our mum for Christmas as a child. It was 1942, war years and presents were hard to afford. I know this bag meant more to my mum than anything bought, I am so glad our family still has it.
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The other thing I meat to say was….
Kids don’t really care what they get until they are about 5 or 6.
When they get a peer group that has the lust for the latet Barbie or the latest thingamajig – that is when presents matter. The kid just doesn’t care until it is a social thing at school and they are “rated” on what gifts they recieve.
Sad, but true.
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Yu know, that hasn’t happened in our house yet. My daughter is six in january (just finished prep) and they would much rather run around screaming than play with toys. She asked for donations for the RSPCA for her birthday party (we had it early) instead of toys and didn’t seem to feel any lack! I don’t know if it’s the families we mix with or what but toys and ‘fads’ are not a big deal. Yet. Wanna bet how long it can last?
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I completely relate Bec. We’ve had a similar problem trying to find our 10 year old ‘the perfect guitar’ for her to learn on. My husband is an audio guy so he’s been very particular about what she should have – only thing is we left it so late that all the ‘good’ ones were sold out. My criteria was that she’d think it was cool – that meant getting it in a certain colour – do you think we could find that colour? Of course not.
We must have discussed all the remaining, not-quite-perfect options over the phone for about half an hour the other night – me at home, my husband at the music store. Eventually we both gave in and settled on something that wasn’t actually ‘perfect’ in our opinion but we both realised she’d actually just love the fact that she had her own guitar. Phew! The lack of making a decision can be so stressful!
On the other hand, our youngest is getting her first bike which is perfect for her even though we bought it second hand from friends (it looks new and she’s only 4 so she won’t notice right?).
Our middle girl, the mother hen who loves nature, is getting fish. We have a small unused aquarium in the garage and we’re going to fill it with lots of cute little fish so she can have it in her room as her own. It’s probably going to cost us about $20 for her gift but I already know she will be ecstatic.
Other than getting caught up in the guitar-buying stress, I’ve really re-thought Christmas this year… you’re so right – it’s the simple things that kids remember. Making gingerbread, decorating the tree (how THEY want it – yikes!) and making their own Christmas cards have really delighted my girls this year.
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family Bec, and Merry Christmas to all the MM team and readers/posters. xx
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Thanks Chocolate Aeroplane and Merry Christmas to you and your lovely tribe.
We’ve been the same at our house … this year Ava and I made gingerbread ornaments, I let her decorate the tree her own way and I got her to make all the family Christmas cards (well I drew pictures and she coloured them in). When I sent a box of homemade gingerbread and a homemade card to all the grandparents they were chuffed …
Hope your girls love those fabulous pressies! I bet they will!
xxxx
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My 25 month old daughter has asked Santa for a “teddy” & “cheese”, yes, that’s correct… “cheese”! She loves her cheese that girl! She is also getting a scooter and a clam shell pool.
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Kids & cheese! I’ve yet to find one my daughter doesn’t like.
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We go down to the beach, dig holes, fill them with water and jump in the muddy puddles. Our miss 2 adores peppa pig but loves the muddy puddle jumping with the family even more. And I too rang around for the toys – and managed to get peppa and George. reckon I got the last two weeks ago.
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The biggest brat? Shes a little princess. God I hate that show!
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I freaking hate that show!!!!
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You guys know the characters are brats for a reason, right? They generally have a fall from grace and realise the error of their ways. Mike the Knight does it every episode. They’re morality tales!
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There is a peppa pig figurine?! I am so glad I didn’t know that or I too would be in a frantic hunt for it. But I am past panic now at my lack of present preparation and in the surrender phase. Much more pleasant.
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Aldi had Peppa Pig stuff on sale on Wednesday morning – one of my friends went down to get some stuff at opening time, and as an Aldi sale newbie, was traumatised. She said you need to be prepared to inflict and sustain injuries!
I went in there the day after – not one piece of Peppa stuff to be seen.
I like all the shows except the new Angelina Ballerina and Little Charley Bear. Angelina’s a drip and just annoying, and Charley Bear annoys and creeps me out.
Our favourites are Peppa, Little Princess, Raa Raa and Driver Dan. Oh and Octonauts!
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I completely understand Bec!
I bought my almost 3yr old the little peppa pig beanie a month ago but decided this week that she should get the playhouse as well because she would love it! Went to every shop in our local area that had stocked it just 2 weeks ago. Apparently I am not the only one who decided their darling needed a peppa pig playhouse at the last minute. Managed to find them at Myer Melbourne and luckily hubby was working in the city that day so off he went to save Christmas.
He had to do the exact same thing last year with a present for my son because I decided last minute he needed something that was sold out in our town.
Next year I will start earlier and no last minute gifts.
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Peppy Pig has a very special power. Even I would go nuts for one of those. Or George’s dinosaur!
Everyone loves making chic chip bikkies with Mum best though.
Merry Christmas!
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Bec, I just wanted to say how much I love that photo of you with Fin all snuggled into you. You look like all your Christmases have come at once.
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Thanks Tala. That’s EXACTLY how I felt that day (and every day, frankly). He’s my little bit of magic.
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I clicked on this post to say the exact same thing.
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My 5yo daughter asked Santa for fairy dust and a flying talking rainbow pony. Not sure how I’m going to manage that one! I’m thinking Santa is going to have to write a letter from the pnoy’s mum that she is too young to leave home just yet…
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We’re after fairy dust too… And not pretend stuff..she wants to fly for real!
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I’ve been working as Santa’s Helper and can confirm that Santa won’t be able to bring a rainbow unicorn pony. He can’t have any animals on the sleigh because they fight with the reindeer.
Hope that helps!!
LJ xx
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Brilliant! Happy holidays
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Well my 4 year old gave me a reality check, she wants Santa to arrange for Tinkerbell (“the real one, mum!!”) to be her best friend…….
well cant think of a shop to make that wish happen.
I’m sure she will love whatever she gets even if it isnt to be ‘BFF’ with Tinkerbell.
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Bec you are a great writer… thanks for the laughs once more
Especially laughed at the credit card weeping…mine is too and I’m planning to seriously tighten the belt in 2013 as Kindy costs are about to start hitting me!
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I do agree with your post that my best memories of childhood are the fun times spent with my parents and in saying that we therefore do lots of fun things with our daughter. I call it making memories times (I think I got that from a mamamia post a while back actually).
However, seeing the excitement and joy on my daughters face, the breathless scream of absolute joy and delight when she gets something she really really wants at xmas is too good to miss.
It makes me feel so good and happy that its creating good memories for me as a parent as well so I keep doing it, every year
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I am a step parent, so I am stuck with a tradition of a Christmas list, that must be adhered to. This year the oldest announced he just wanted money, because he didn’t want crap presents! I nearly had a heart attack in the spot. It makes me furious & almost sick, to see the craziness of Christmas Day with 9 children opening gift after gift in a frenzy.
I grew up in a single parent family, with a lot of foster brothers & sisters. If I was lucky I would get the cheap version of what I really wanted. There was one present from Mum, one from my aunt & uncle(always cool) & one from my godmother( usually very pretty underwear & lovely toiletries we couldn’t afford), and Christmas money from some other elderly relatives that had to go in my saving account, not to buy presents.
I know I was disappointed on several Christmas’ that I didn’t get what I wanted, but I was generally pretty happy & on Boxing Day we got up really early & went camping for a week & that was the best bit about Christmas.
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We use the line ‘santa has probably packed your presents already.’ We explained that he has so many kids to pack for and our last name starts with g so if it doesn’t come this year he will prolly get it next year. And Christmas magic can still change those packed presents into potatoes when kids are naughty.
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I am using that line next year!!! Brilliant!
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I can’t be the only one who thinks Peppa is a bit of a brat can I?
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Peppa is OK, but don’t get me started on that Olivia!
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She can be, but mostly she is a lovely big sister to George. This works in my house as I have a big girl with a little brother.
I’ll tell you who’s a brat… RaRa the Noisy Lion!
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What?? You don’t love Ra Ra the Noisy Lion, RA RA THE NOISY LION??!!
Just kidding, I find him a tad bratty too. I like Olivia, mostly because I enjoyed reading the books to my classes pre-mummying.
Sometimes after a few wines, hubby and I youtube the Olivia song and dance around like lunatics.
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I couldn’t agree more!
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No you are not!
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She’s got nothing on little princess
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I don’t buy my nieces and nephews presents to open on Christmas day. I learnt long ago that they get massloads of presents and don’t remember who gave them what.
So now, i take each of them (there are 4) 1:1 to the shops the week after Christmas. They have a budget and they can choose anything they like. Sometimes it is the movies, time-zone, sporting equipment, dolls. It’s great because its a memory as well as a toy, and then i don’t have to go to a shopping centre in December at all! Plus almost everything is on sale.
Oh, and if the kids are under 5, then its a trip to the park or the pool and an icecream at the end instead.
Much less stressful!
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Clever auntie!
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I can relate to you. I to lost my dad at age 12, a couple of months before christmas. It was all about the different presents they had bought us. I never enjoyed christmas until I had my son now aged 8. I also have an adorable godson aged 4 & his 13 year old sister to buy presents for. I now love watching the kids at christmas. It means something more now.
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My 3 year old son and I have just spent the morning baking Rainbow Cookies for Santa.
I have a health problem that can put me in hospital at any time, so I try to spend as much time doing fun things with my kids as I can.
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I remember spending an entire Saturday making different obstacle courses on the back porch with my sister. We had chalk and…… well, we had chalk. That was about all we needed in addition to the pavement.
One of the happiest days of my childhood and I remember us being absurdly sun burnt afterwards. Mum took a photo of us that afternoon and we look so bright and happy.
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On really hot days, mum would take us to the local pool late in the afternoon. We’d have sandwiches for dinner and splash about until the pool closed.
I don’t know who said it, but I always think of the quote ‘time is how you spend your love’ when it comes to raising my children.
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Unfortunately not do great memories here. I have become obsessed with buying my son books, my parents never read to me so now my son has more books than you can poke a stick at. I love laying down in bed reading to him and I hope that is one of his happy memories.
P.S. he has 15 books under the tree.
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So true. We took our kids to the local pool the other day and spent the afternoon splashing around with them. My 5 year old son is still saying that it was the best day ever.
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I’m going to go against the grain here ( I tend to do that!) and say that some of my favourite memories were of the toys I got at Christmas. Possibly because we didn’t have as many toys as we seem to get our children these days, but I loved the day I got my doll with the press button on her tummy to make her hair grow, and the knob on the back to wind it all in again. And, the toy telephones with the cord that meant you could actually talk to someone in another room – a huge thrill for a little girl when there wasn’t a real phone in the house. A few others spring to mind, but just a reminder that sometimes the toys can be the memories as well
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I can appreciate what you’re saying. My most precious toys were my Cabbage Patch Doll and my Barbies, which I still have and can’t bear to let go. My 3 year old son has been talking about a Buzz Lightyear for 6 months, it’s the only thing he asked Santa for. When we wrapped it last night my husband and I were saying how over the moon he’s going to be on Xmas morning. I think the secret is to limit presents to only a few so they remain special.
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My son was obsessed with Toy Story and Buzz. I have the most beautiful photo of him unwrapping Buzz on his second birthday, with the biggest smile ever! He was so excited.
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I had one of those dolls – I think it was called a Tressy doll. Loved it!
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Hi Macgee,
I know EXACTLY what you’re saying. And I think when you didn’t receive huge amounts of gifts growing up (and I certainly didn’t) … then you really appreciated them more.
Last year all my daughter wanted was Big Ted toy (from Play School). When she saw it sitting under the Christmas tree last year with a big red bow around his neck .. her excitement and joy was gorgeous.
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Hi Bec, I would burst with happiness if I got a Big Ted even now – Play School reigns supreme!
Merry Christmas to you
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I had one of those dolls too – the blonde one called Velvet. I loved her.
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Macgee, I think the doll you have may have been either a Velvet doll (purple dress) or her older sister Chrissy. I still have my Velvet doll, which now belongs to Miss 7. She is still treasured by me as are the two barbies I received for being well behaved!
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You still have your doll? That’s magic! I have a mischievous younger sister who usually managed to cause harm to my toys so apart from one smelly old teddy, I have nothing left. Mine was Chrissy, although I do remember Velvet. I just Googled them both (as well as Tala’s suggestion of Tressy) – what a hoot!
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I used to have a Chrissie doll and my sister had Velvet. Apparently there was a Cinammon doll too. I think mum gave them away, I probably loved Chrissie’s hair to death though.
You can buy them on eBay now though.
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Wonderful post!
My memories of childhood up until eleven (when my dad passed away) are all about my mum and dad and how they spent time with me.
I remember how they made me feel – not even so much what they said or did in detail – but how they made me feel.
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I think kids get most excited about the unexpected gifts they receive at xmas.
When I was a kid I had very few relatives but I had one Auntie who always sent us the the most unique gifts. They were never expensive but they were always something we would never had thought of ourselves but they were appropriate for our age and as a result we always loved them.
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I really wish my sister would get this. A hoard of kids later and it’s easier to buy them things like video games which they’ll spend hrs on then just doing something with them
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Every time I read one of your posts Bec all I can think is: You. Are. Such. A. Great. Writer. Thanks for lighting up my life xx
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OMG that bloody pig. I allow my 6 month old a small window of TV and guess what’s captured her attention. She’s as happy to see that damn pig as she is me. Went to ABC store looking for pig, no pig.
Great post Bec! x
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Important question from a Non-Parent. What is it with this pig? How’d he get to be so bloody popluar!?!
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*cue toddler eye roll*
Peppa Pig is a GIRL. She has a brother called George, Mummy Pig & Daddy Pig plus all her friends like Susie Sheep, Rebecca Rabbit etc
The show is a little better than most I think as I like that they have lots of adventures as a family and normally finish the episodes all falling about laughing.
If you are a hardcore PP fan, or the unfortunate parent of one, there is even Peppa Pig World in the UK! http://m.peppapigworld.co.uk/
And Bec, I can completely empathise. I have gone a bit nutso for my 2yo as its the first year she really ‘gets it’ about Xmas. She has already received a few lovely gifts but so far her fave is a hideous Xmas fairy costume I got from the discount shop. For $3. And she wore it to see a Xmas light display. Absolute highlight of her year
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Peppa (she) is pretty cute and it’s funny and the pig family have lots of fun together. My husband loves it as much as my 3 year old. Son is obsessed with muddy puddles now (whole pig family loves jumping in muddy puddles) fortunately just pretending not actually jumping in them.
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Peppa’s a she.
When there’s four episodes in a row (keep in mind they go for about 5 minutes), i don’t think the kiddies have much choice. And for us, it coincides perfectly with mummy’s-making-dinner time. Win-win.
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My older kids are obsessed also. It is funny and kind of witty so I like it too!
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Tickle Me Elmo was my Peppa Pig moment, way back when. Except that it was me who got it in my head that it had to turn up under the tree, not my daugter. I had so many people on the case, with Elmo having disappeared entirely. My mum found it in a suburban chemist somewhere, and Christmas (for me!) was saved. I wish I actually had a memory of it being a can’t-live-without-it present, but no, I barely even remember it being in the house after Christmas!
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Hell. I loved Tickle-me-Elmo more than whichever daughter I gave it to for Xmas. He was hilarious. That was an ice-cream soda moment for me as a parent, lol.
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Something that we all seem to miss in our efforts to be the best parents possible and to give our children the best memories possible, is that the best memories possible are those that are made when parents are not putting all their energy into making the best memories possible. They’re made when we are truly in the ordinary moments with our child. No pressures. No watching to make sure the child is understanding and appreciating just how fantastic we are and what great lengths we have gone to. Just being with them. Being ourselves and allowing them to be themselves.
Oh, and Mamamia team? I’m not signing in to write this comment because if I do I’ll no longer be able to see ‘likes’ on posts and I find that frustrating. If I could sign in and still see ‘likes’ I’d like that
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God that’s so true. It’s those organic moments that are the best …
(And I’ll let the team know about your signing in issues!)
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My fav memory is packing our bags and loading up the car, strapping our boogie boards to the roof and heading to our cousins house in Ulladulla. Cramming our family of four in with their family of six and hitting the beach by day and bbqing by night and listening to our parents have afew drinks and laugh about what they used to get up to when they were young. Loved every sunburnt sandy minute of it.
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See? And you can’t buy those moments from Smiggle!
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That made me almost cry……so so similar to my memories,bless
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You’re spot on Bec. How many parents have spent days or weeks even trying to track down THE TOY that their child must have. I remember in the days before online shopping, parents driving all over Sydney to suburbs they’ve never been to before just to purchase THE TOY their child must have or getting relatives to buy said TOY interstate because it was out of stock in Sydney. I remember the excitement of mothers in my mothers group leading up the release of the mid-year Target Toy Catalogue. Seriously, the mothers would be hyperventilating about it.
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So true. And what it comes down to is this: how many toys do our kids need????
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Bec – sometimes I HONESTLY think you crack my head open, have a look inside and then write your posts!
A few months ago I toilet trained my daughter (2yrs and a bit) and I was so proud of her that LITERALLY every time she went to the loo I gave her a present. Not always expensive (although sometimes they were) but just gave gave gave…. She was happy for 30 seconds (because she’s 2!) and then she moved on. Toilet training was done in 3 days (I know! Amazing!) but I kinda kept up the present thing until I thought “this is insane”!
Anyway, over the past few weeks we’ve gone back to doing what we’ve always done which is LOADS of crafts (so many clever, great ideas online) and LOADSSSSS Of baking. She ABSOLUTELY lights up when I suggest we cook together. Every single time.
Not trying to flog my blog but PROMISE I have some really easy, child friendly ideas on there which I am sure Ava will love e.g.
http://phoodie.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/the-best-gingerbread-in-the-world/
and
http://phoodie.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/palm-sugar-caramel-pecan-shortbread-sandwiches/
Just the shortbread heart component – you don’t have to do the filling – just 3 ingredients for the hearts! Similar to the choc dipped ones I did for Mamamia)
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Thanks Phoodie. Ava loves to cook so I’ll check those out!
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Phoodie, I love you. I’m storing those ideas away for when Pumpkin is old enough to cook with me. x
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