It's Good for Kids to Want

My boys have become little robots who watch television in a daze and mumble, "I want that" in a frightening monotone, I swear I've even heard it after a Barbie commercial or two.

I long for the days when all my eldest wanted were toys instead of sophisticated and expensive technology. As of late, he's been begging for a cell phone and an iPod because he claims his friends have them. You know what, they probably do. They probably do because Big Daddy P and I are not their parents.

"It's good to want", at least that's what my dad always told me. I think he saw wanting as a character-building experience.

I was 8 years old in 1984 and the world had gone plain mad for the Cabbage Patch Kid doll.
My parents were determined on principle not to get sucked into the Cabbage Patch hysteria. So I was the only kid on my street and probably the world without said Cabbage Patch doll in 1984. Screw those mini violins, bring out the big ones because in the 3rd grade I was invited to Jennifer's Cabbage Patch Kid birthday party. The invitation expressly advised guests to bring their Cabbage Patch doll. Since I didn't have one (bitter much?), I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole thing.

On one hand, I was super excited because Jennifer had a big two-story house with a trampoline. On the other hand, it was a Cabbage Patch Kid party and I didn't have one. If ever there was a certifiable reason for my parents to join in on the Cabbage Patch craze, it was to get me a Cabbage Patch date for Jennifer's party. Since I wanted to go to the party (hello, trampoline), I was either going to be forced to go stag or show up with an alternate doll as my date. Choosing what I thought was the lesser of the two evils; I reluctantly brought a no-name doll as my date. Riddle me this, how many other little girls showed up without a Cabbage Patch doll? Not a one.

I spent the entire party hiding my doll out of embarrassment due to some mature principle regarding toy manufacturer supply and demand. I didn't partake in the trampoline or even the cake because of my lame doll. While my lack of participation may seem excessive, in retrospect I understand my 8 year old self. I lacked the self-confidence to transcend the masses by being different. Truthfully, I never really cared about the Cabbage Patch doll at all; I just wanted to be like everybody else. Well, in 1985, I got my Cabbage Patch Kid doll. My parents thought it was high time since the dolls were readily available and had since dropped in price. Shame Cabbage Patch birthday parties were so last year.

Now just because I understand the shame that comes from going "without" (if I may even go so far as to proclaim that), it doesn't mean I think my kid should have a cell phone or an iPod at 7 years old. Not only are so many of the items our kids are dying for expensive, they are easily lost or stolen.

So my eldest has labeled me "mean" since I'm obviously not budging on the cell phone/iPod decision and I'm O.K. with that. My reply to my "mean" reputation? "It's good to want", because it is.

Want more Mommyfriend *blush*, click here!