Hey Everyone!
I'm always interested in what brings out the inner child/fun side of other people.
As a kid, my parents were watching every penny. There was a girl in my Lutheran grade school class whose mom was very stylish, and she bought her daughters all the latest in fashions and accessories. I can admit that at the time, I. Was. Jealous.
But my parents often told me, "You don't need more junk that's just going to be thrown away!" And now as an adult, I tell them that one of the best lessons they ever taught me was delayed gratification (I second guess almost everything I buy now,) and saving for a rainy day (not to mention, tires that don't want to stay inflated.)
However, as an adult, I do splurge every now and then on little things that make me smile. One of those things is Hello Kitty, because this girl in my class always had the cutest pencils, erasers, and cases with the Hello Kitty characters on them -- but my parents always said no.
These days, I'm very glad my parents said no. But at the same time, to me, Hello Kitty is a symbol of where I'm at in life -- out on my own, making my own money, and choosing (carefully!) how to spend it. I obviously don't just buy any old thing with a favorite cartoon character slapped onto it. But I do enjoy browsing what's out there.
Years ago, a family member gave me a soap dispenser similar to this as a gift:
The one I have has arms that "flap" when you dispense the soap, and it makes me smile -- which I see as a bonus when doing a mundane chore like washing dishes. However, she is very old and unfortunately, has cracks in several places.
I've been looking for a replacement, but can't find one I like (or at a price I'm willing to pay!)
In the meantime, I'll just have to be content with my coffee mug to give me my daily dose of childhood fun instead.
What about you?
* What things have you bought for yourself as an adult that you couldn't have, or couldn't afford as a kid? It could be toys, accessories, a game, electronics, a hobby (I bought a perfume-making kit one year, as that was another thing I asked Santa for but never got!), a car, going on a trip or to a certain place, eating at a specific restaurant, etc. -- anything goes!
* Are you glad now that you had to wait, or do you wish you could have had those things back then? Why or why not?
* Was it as fun/fulfilling as you thought it would be when you finally obtained those items/went where you wanted to go, or were you disappointed?
* Are there things you wanted that you bought for your kids instead?
I've done this a lot, too. I love toys with working parts (sinks that you can run water through, trucks and cars with doors that open, etc.) and bought many an item for my friends' kids that probably drove the parents crazy!
* If you are a parent or raising kids/teens, how do you teach them the balance between buying the things they want vs. spending money wisely?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
(And to also see pictures if possible, even if they're just ones found on Google!)
I'm always interested in what brings out the inner child/fun side of other people.
As a kid, my parents were watching every penny. There was a girl in my Lutheran grade school class whose mom was very stylish, and she bought her daughters all the latest in fashions and accessories. I can admit that at the time, I. Was. Jealous.
But my parents often told me, "You don't need more junk that's just going to be thrown away!" And now as an adult, I tell them that one of the best lessons they ever taught me was delayed gratification (I second guess almost everything I buy now,) and saving for a rainy day (not to mention, tires that don't want to stay inflated.)
However, as an adult, I do splurge every now and then on little things that make me smile. One of those things is Hello Kitty, because this girl in my class always had the cutest pencils, erasers, and cases with the Hello Kitty characters on them -- but my parents always said no.
These days, I'm very glad my parents said no. But at the same time, to me, Hello Kitty is a symbol of where I'm at in life -- out on my own, making my own money, and choosing (carefully!) how to spend it. I obviously don't just buy any old thing with a favorite cartoon character slapped onto it. But I do enjoy browsing what's out there.
Years ago, a family member gave me a soap dispenser similar to this as a gift:
The one I have has arms that "flap" when you dispense the soap, and it makes me smile -- which I see as a bonus when doing a mundane chore like washing dishes. However, she is very old and unfortunately, has cracks in several places.
I've been looking for a replacement, but can't find one I like (or at a price I'm willing to pay!) In the meantime, I'll just have to be content with my coffee mug to give me my daily dose of childhood fun instead.
What about you?
* What things have you bought for yourself as an adult that you couldn't have, or couldn't afford as a kid? It could be toys, accessories, a game, electronics, a hobby (I bought a perfume-making kit one year, as that was another thing I asked Santa for but never got!), a car, going on a trip or to a certain place, eating at a specific restaurant, etc. -- anything goes!
* Are you glad now that you had to wait, or do you wish you could have had those things back then? Why or why not?
* Was it as fun/fulfilling as you thought it would be when you finally obtained those items/went where you wanted to go, or were you disappointed?
* Are there things you wanted that you bought for your kids instead?
I've done this a lot, too. I love toys with working parts (sinks that you can run water through, trucks and cars with doors that open, etc.) and bought many an item for my friends' kids that probably drove the parents crazy!
* If you are a parent or raising kids/teens, how do you teach them the balance between buying the things they want vs. spending money wisely?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
(And to also see pictures if possible, even if they're just ones found on Google!)
BIG difference between a tiny organized little girls bedroom and a big house for a family of 5 
