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| Aiden can find the way with his new compass! |
We don’t play the
stock market. Our family “portfolio” is a tattered manila folder containing a
couple of savings bonds the kids were gifted with at their baptisms, along with
a few random warranties and receipts that made their way in there over the
years. I can picture a broker, getting a gander at our finances, and keeling
over in shock. Our 401? Not ‘K!
What we HAVE
played, much too often, is the toy market. We spent the equivalent of their
college educations on Beanie Babies and Brio trains and stuff by Nintendo. We
usually bought when prices were highest—like at Christmas time, when supply was
limited. I recall the year A #1 big sister Rose spent her baking business
money on an elusive Game Boy Color for young PJ. There had been a typhoon near
the factory in Japan and shipments were basically halted, just before Yuletide.
When she at last found one on eBay, what should have cost less than $50, ended
up being (ahem) several hundred hard-earned bucks. Another quest was for the
royal purple Princess Diana Beanie Baby. Along with half the parents in
America, I stalked every Beanie-selling emporium at holiday time, praying that
a Di would suddenly pop up somewhere. Never got one, but did nab another few "valuable" Beanies. Everyone said they were all collector’s items and
would be worth a mint someday! Needless to say, our stuffed friends' tags were soon torn off by one child or another, and their perceived value
plummeted. I think you can find them now for about five bucks.
Well, now I am
living with two parents who do not play the toy market, Sheridan and Ya-Jhu.
While my instinct is to overindulge Aiden and Peter, they are quick to rein me
in. And guess what? They are two very happy, well-adjusted, non-acquisitive
little boys. Aiden’s Santa list this year (which was actually a random
scribbling of letters all over the page) was translated by my grandson as, “I
love you, Santa.”
On Christmas
morning, our small guys got a modest haul—but the point is, they loved every
item because there weren’t too many of them. Aiden’s compass from Julie and
Gil, Peter’s woolen hat shaped like a shark, from Patrick and Meg—BIG hits.
Both kids love a show on Netflix called “Octonauts”, a cartoon featuring
undersea animal explorers that is actually quite educational, as well as cute.
So the major item from Santa Seyfried was an Octonaut play set, complete with
creatures and Octopod. Aiden has played with it nonstop for the past 48 hours,
no exaggeration. That and their few other, well-chosen toys, will keep them
happily occupied for months.
Do I wish for a
parenting do-over, with more Dow Jones and less Mattel? Not really, I guess.
Our major investment has always been our family, and while that will never buy
us a retirement yacht (or even rowboat), when it comes to love, Steve and I
both feel like millionaires.
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| Patrick's prize present, circa 1999 |
