I love to eat dumplings but Mr MG says we should eat them only once a year during the dumpling festival. "The special meaning of eating certain foods at certain times of the year during each festival is lost if you eat them daily." he says. And so we eat barbequed pork only during Chinese New Year, mooncake only during lantern festival etc.
Speaking of festivals, once my sister said to me "Buying clothes during Chinese New Year is no longer a thrill to the kids because they get new clothes all year round."
On that same principal, we went shopping for baby's birthday present and were at a loss as to what to buy. We have been indulging the kids with too many toys so much so that we found it difficult to get them something special for their birthdays! We find so much pleasure in buying toys for them, you see. We love to shop for the toys imagining the look of delight on their faces when they get it, thinking "Hmm. He/She will really like this!" We derive so much pleasure ourselves in seeing their happiness. Besides, they do learn from play. (So says a guilty mum!)
Ok. Time to chant a new mantra. "We shall not buy new toys. We shall not buy new toys."
Yup, my girls have many toy collection too! Time to pack some & donate to other kids liao!
ReplyDeleteI can DIY dressess, yet still buy for them if see pretty dress, sigh! I shall chant too: shall not buy new dress, shall not buy new dress! hahaha..
I must be one of the few who seldom buy toys. My boy only likes his toy golf clubs and balls, no matter what new toys we bought him. So, I gave up buying. Maybe he's trying to save up my money... :P
ReplyDeleteaiya, I join you in chanting. For me, it's no more clothes for the girls. Like I said, the cupboard was busrting at the seams! We used to be soooo excited to get new clothes for CNY.
ReplyDeleteA lot of special delicacies have lost its meaning liao. Yee Sang before CNY, Dumplings available all yr round. Mooncakes also eat until jelak before the occasion.
jesslyn,
ReplyDeleteI don't get to buy new dresses bcos got so many hand me downs.
shoppingmum,
Wah, good can save money. Nowadays I try my hand at crafting ie make home made toys with my girl. I notice she likes to play those better. Pride of doing it ourselves mah.
king's wife,
Your chant should be "I shall not hoarde. I shall not hoarde."
sorry, buy new toys already become like everyday meal, buy it in daily basic already *sigh*....
ReplyDeleteI got 5 plastic container of toys in my room, not included those good one passed to ET, and those spoilt one threw away.
Not to buy toy seems more difficult than exercise keep fit.
haha.. try to shop n buy a new toy or cloth to my little seem is the only porpose.. homemade toys? i'm not tat intelligence oh... :(
ReplyDeleteI normally try to control myself.. But recently has been on this book craze.. buy books non stop.
ReplyDeleteMPH warehouse sales buy already not enough, Times warehouse sales buy some more.. Then still can drop by the book shop and buy more books! My excuse, she likes books mah.. so I buy loh.. let her cultivate this good habbit ma..
"I shall not buy anymore books! I shall not buy anymore books!" Let me join in your chant.
maria,
ReplyDeleteBoth oso equally hard to do ler.
joey,
The internet got many ideas on how to make homemade toys. So far, I've made flowers, paperplate clock, paperplate duck, tissue box house and tissue box bus. Hehe.
zara's mama,
I've got lots of hand-me-down books as well but still I love to buy them too. Books are the only stuff I won't feel guilty buying as I want to encourage love of books and reading mah. So its never wasted. (*excuses excuses*) Hahaha.
is it?? then so good yah.. any website can introduce to me? i would like to try also.... Thanx...
ReplyDeleteactually i buy her ashley more clothes than toys! my new mantra would be "i shall not buy so many clothes for ashley!"
ReplyDeleteYour children are so fortunate. Mine have to make do with old toys and they have to be creative to use old toys in new ways. Now I feel so sorry for them. Their daddy likes to buy toys (it's his way of showing his love} but I always complain that there is no more space at home to keep those toys.
ReplyDeleteMy mantra the next few days is "I need to throw away broken toys"
ReplyDeleteMy house too, toys are every where. Everytime tell 1+2dad dun buy toys anymore but at the end i'm the 1 who's ask 1+2dad buy for them *roll eyes*..haha..
ReplyDeletejoey,
ReplyDeleteYou can try this perhaps.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/toddler/
mom2ashley,
Yah, clothes and toys are the main spending items. :P
magictree,
Your children are fortunate, learning how to be creative. :)
lian,
Yes, and need to throw/give away lots of other old stuff as well.
1+2mom,
Dunno why its usually dads who spend and moms are the partner-in-crime. Hehehe. I always tell Mr MG not to buy anymore as well but when he calls me over to help him choose a toy, I am happy to choose. :P
I seldom buy toy for Qi Ning, daddy is the one who buy most of the time. I tend to buy books for her!
ReplyDeleteI guess I won't like the idea of chanting 'I won't buy things (toys, books or dresses) for my girl' cos I just love buying things for her.
ReplyDeleteWe parents just love to see those happy faces when they receive stuffs.. Hmm, I don't think I can chant anything for now.. :P
ReplyDeletecontented mum,
ReplyDeleteDaddy is often the buying toys culprit ler.
tracy,
Hahaha. Good for you loh!
geetha,
Yes, sometimes I enjoy shopping for toys and books more than they do, I think!
Hehe..I bought a lot of toys and books too for my baby even though he didn't know how to play and read yet!
ReplyDelete