The chaos continues but life is good

So, we are a month into the house being a mess due to our home improvement project.  I had to go to pick up more supplies today, the second time we have done so since starting.  The job was supposed to be finished June 23, today is July 10 and there are at LEAST two days of work left.  I am SO over it.  I want my house back.  We are working until 10pm at night sorting materials each night.  It looks good so far but I'm not sure the price was worth it.  I'm sure over time it will be but I'm jaded right now.

On another note, I'm mortified to admit that K and I were late to his appointment with the Psych today.  I got home after errands and forgot there was no carseat in my car and well, we didn't get there in time.  She was understanding but it frustrates me that I goofed.  I wanted to get this underway and it will have to wait until next week.  Our appointment is 8am next week which means up and out on a Saturday.

K started Fast ForWord this week.  He seems to be doing well with it and enjoying it.  He earned 11 Fast ForWord dollars and his prize for the week was a set of Heroes and Villans Star Wars playing cards.  So, we have not transferred his obsession to something that all of us can enjoy which is a good thing.  We have been playing games of War all weekend and K is absolutely LOVING it.  I like that he loves it as it is good from a math, general processing and motor skills perspective.  Sweeping and stacking the cards quickly is putting him to work quite a bit.

Other than the home improvement project, things are generally very good.

We had a great trip last weekend as a family to see my brother and his family.  We had a fantastic time which included the Bronx Zoo, multiple sets of fireworks, boat rides on the Hudson, swimming, playing in my brother's AWESOME yard,  a trip into the city for dinner and The Addams Family for my husband and I, and plenty of great play time for the cousins.

This weekend we are enjoying our first weekend at home as a family in three weeks.  The weather seems to have broken a bit and we are enjoying play time inside and out.  Life is good!

Dam* Marketers

Marketing really makes me wonder sometimes. Yes, I work in marketing. Yes, I’ve worked in marketing for over 17 years (did I admit that?). I work for a food manufacturer, Bush Brothers, and am generally immune to the talk about marketing to kids, as our products aren’t marketed to kids. Really, what is the harm in marketing beans to kids?

I’m the mother of two young boys. It is amazing to see the impact of marketing on them. All right, amazing probably isn’t the right word. Frightening? Scary? Terrifying? In the past two weeks both of the kids have proven how they really are sponges. Scary little sponges.

Our first example involves, K, who will be 6 in just over a week. We were having a stretch of cold weather, unseasonably cold. School was closed and he was rather cooped up/caged. Trying to find things to occupy and absolutely stir crazy sensory seeking 5 year old is to say the least challenging. Enter a new toy that Mommy had stashed in the sensory bin.

K walks into the room…’Mommy, you bought BENDAROOS!!!! Can I play with them? Are they for me? I’m so excited.’ I respond that yes he can open them and play with them. About 5 minutes later we are sitting at the kitchen table playing with the Bendaroos and he asks ‘Mommy, did you double your order?’ I about fell off my chair. He proceeded to spout out the copy from the infomercial for Bendaroos. I laughed and nearly cried. Here is a kid who claims he doesn’t know the sight words of 'he' and 'she' yet he can repeat, verbatim, about 6 sentences of copy. Marketing works.

Our second example involves T. Our Nanny, A, was shopping at Walmart with him. K was in school. Apparently they were going down the aisle and T freaked out. He wanted some Disney Take ‘n Toss sippy cups. He was pitching a fit so she got them for him.

Where is the marketing in this? He calls the cups hot dog. Why? They have the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters on them. For those without kids, or who choose to not watch tv, the theme song for MMC includes ‘hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog.’ Marketing works! On a side note, guess I know what I’ll bring T as a souvenir from Disney when we take K in April ;-)

Both tales led to the conclusion that TV watching needs to back off for the kids. They have plenty of toys, plenty to do. Dam* marketers.