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Thursday, May 17, 2012

#GBE2: Guilty Pleasures

It wasn't my birthday, Christmas, or any other reason to get a present; however, my dad took me to the store and told me to pick out a game. Dad paid four dollars for The Game of Life and helped me make a permanent memory of the joy of getting a present for no reason at all. 

We weren't poor. In fact, we were quite well off. I had everything I needed; I just didn't have everything I wanted. Is that so bad?

Most of today's kids don't understand the true thrill of getting a gift since they are constantly bombarded with the spoils of childhood. My parents never bought me a new bike yet ocassionally bought me new toys. Add that to the hand-me-downs from older siblings, and I had a terrific stash! 

My kids went to camp with a bunch of spoiled Dallas kids. Forgive me Texans, but these brats were ridiculous. They received care packages every single day of a month long session. One mother mailed her daughter bottled water because that from the tap was not good enough for her darling. Can you imagine how expensive it would be to mail water? Postage would probably cost more than the water itself. As the kids got these packages, they'd carelessly roll their eyes and poo poo the contents. 

"I have enough beach towels. Anyone want this one?"

No joke. My daughter would come home with all sorts of care package goodies, so why spend the money to send her one? Don't get me wrong. She'd get a care package or two over the course of a month. When they arrived, they were appreciated too.

My daughter's best friend in the cabin also received as many care packages as my kid. One night the counselors confessed, "You two are our favorite campers!" Gee, I wonder why?

So, when the group asks, "What's your guilty pleasure?" I'm not thinking of something fattening or expensive. My mind goes for something I don't need--such as candy. It has no nutritional value nor does candy fix hunger or thirst. I don't need it, and there is no point in spending even a measly two dollars on something like this. Therefore, here is my sugar free, low calorie, cheap, guilty pleasure. You're probably thinking, Is that all?

Yes. That's all. I've learned to be content with my lot, and furthermore, I don't buy things that truly make me feel guilty. It's not worth it. Ironically, candy was the 10¢ item my mother would often break down and buy me as we went through the grocery store check out. So, I guess in that way, I got what I wanted.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

My mother's favorite saying was "how's it feel to want?" and like you, we got what we needed and then some. Dad did permits for a ski area so we could all ski for free and then painted awesome daisies on wooden skis. Long live the hand me downs.
(My guilty pleasure is a really great moment, especially if I get to smirk.)

Anonymous said...

One day, when I was about 7 or 8 I went with my Dad to buy his lottery tickets. As I usually did when we went into the store I wandered around looking at the toys and I fell in love with this stuffed teddy bear. And even though I had about a million other stuffed animals at home my Dad bought me the bear...which I still have to this day...I still sleep with him!

Theresa Mahoney said...

Love this post! I don't understand the parents who buy everything their children's hearts desire. I was a child of hand me downs and yard sale toys. Going back through old photos, we never had many toys on Christmas or our birthdays, but I remember playing every single toy in each picture. How many kids can say that today? And my guilty pleasure as a kid was lemons. Yep, from the fruit aisle. Never wanted a candy bar, always a lemon lol.

Jo said...

Sugar free, calorie free Candy? That's not candy, that's health food! LOL ♥

stevebethere said...

I always remember my mum and dad buying me Monopoly and Cluedo (at different times) lol

There is always one in the pack, the Texan mothers were all probably outdo each other, I expect the bottled water topped the lot LOL.

It reminds me of "My mummy says I'm going to grow up to be a right little madam" heheh!

I would love them sugar free sweets above, I am diabetic so can only eat that sort

Darlene ~Bloggity Blogger~ said...

We had many games. It was almost a staple for farm kids.

zongrik said...

what do people like this do when there are emergencies/natural disasters? the pity is that problem, they will be a burden on others, and in times like those, everyone needs to be working together.


when time races like a bullet

Lynn Proctor said...

we played games a lot when we were first married--and i did some as a kid---i love those simple things too--and those are the best mints aren't they--great post :)

Binky said...

I used to really like board games, but never had The Game of Life.

Anonymous said...

I was indulged, but definitely not spoiled. I think that the moment kids stop appreciating what is given to them, the giving needs to be scaled way back.