Wanna Trade?
In my elementary school days, it was stickers that we coveted. I had a collection three huge photo albums full sorted according to worth and trade-ability. I can remember my book bag being weighed down by "my sticker books" but the struggle was worth it because a good grade on a test could mean a scratch & sniff sticker and trading was something all the girls were up for at recess. And bringing your collection to slumber parties was a must. Some of my best stickers were sparkly, puffy, smelly or fuzzy but I wasn't above adding the sticker I peeled off of a banana at lunch to my book. The hobby became intoxicating; if it stuck, I wanted it.
Now, kids are wearing and trading trendy bracelets called Silly Bandz. Who knows how these things start but about two weeks ago both of my daughters began wearing them home from school. Obviously, this arm candy was good enough to trade your snack for so I had to ask, "What's the big deal?"
My girls took off their gummy bracelets and I watched as each popped back into one shape or another. Between them they had a letter G, a shark, a guitar, a penguin and a heart along with a vast assortment of other random objects.They went on to explain that these were the "coolest bracelets ever" and that "everyone at school had them" and "can we please go to the dollar store" so they could buy more.
I'm nothing if not a cool mom as well as behind anything that isn't putting holes into your face or, God forbid, other parts so I happily complied. After all, if a few cheap plastic bracelets can make my daughters as ecstatic a set of puffy smurf stickers once made me, who am I to judge?
Kimberly lives with her family in Virginia where she writes about her daily life on her personal blog Petroville, talks photography at Joslyn Place and mixes it up with her friends around the Beltway on the Washington Times Communities. You can also find her on Twitter @Kimberle procrastinating housework.
An original DC Metro Moms post.
