The Consumer

It seems that upon turning three, my dear son has become quite the little consumer. I long for the days before he realized that everything at Target could hypothetically belong to him if he could simply convince me to put it in the cart. He suddenly has long lists of needs and wants that he constantly places before me, the provider of all things plastic and entertaining.

"I want [whatever toy/candy/sports equipment he sees on the store shelf]. Let's get it now. Just one, Mommy! I only want just one!"

"Can we go to the store right now and get [a red soccer ball, a track excavator, a replacement for the "Doc" car he lost]? I don't have that!"

"I need [a big Buzz Lightyear, more dinosaurs, a Batman costume] like [Chapman, Elliott, Ridge]!"

I'm doing my dardnest to teach gratitude for what we have, that things cost money and the value of a dollar. But it seems to be falling on deaf ears. And I grew tired of arguing about every little item he wants or trying to explain that he has to wait seven months (or nearly 20% of his current lifespan) before Christmas arrives. (In addition, I don't want the anticipation of Christmas to be all about gifts.) So, I have introduced the idea of a Wish List, or "Wish Wish" as Bennett calls it. He now requests that I add a coveted item to his "Wish Wish" and usually that is the end of the discussion for a little while.

I'm not sure when he expects his Wish List dreams to be fulfilled, but it seems that the simple act of me acknowledging his desire and promising to consider the purchase of said item in the future makes a surprising difference in his attitude. The things that are just a passing fancy will be mentioned once and quickly forgotten, but those he's really taken a shine to will pop up multiple times. ("Big Buzz" is on the wish list probably 57 times.) So, although I don't have a good, physical LIST of everything he's mentioned in the past five months, those most important things are being drilled into my memory via repetition.

I'll keep working on the gratitude and value of money thing. But for now, the Wish Wish is saving me a little piece of sanity. And maybe (just maybe?) teaching my little consumer something about delayed gratification. We shall see!