4 ms·
When I find that I am falling into the trap of emotional highs from buying crap I don't need, I just remind myself that I grew up with only the essentials and I
by retro64 10y ago
When I find that I am falling into the trap of emotional highs from buying crap I don't need, I just remind myself that I grew up with only the essentials and I don’t need more toys. If we (my siblings and I) wanted anything, we made due with homemade cardboard props (for the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)), sticks for swords, or paper men for armies.
It sounds embarrassingly crude, but it has served as an internal equalizer when I feel like desiring or whining. I have tried to demonstrate to my kids that contentment (happiness) is really best obtained and empowering when you realize you don’t need to buy it, you can just make or generate it yourself.
- jazzyk 10y agoNothing crude about it. My kids usually had more fun with the boxes that the toys came in than the actual toys!
- bbradley406 10y agoA toy typically has a few ways to play associated with it. A cardboard box, on the other hand, now that's where the creative fun begins! If anyone needs a primer, I suggest starting with the existing literature, namely Calvin and Hobbes. http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2012/05/28 http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2012/05/28 https://riteshjsr.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/recurring-motifs-in-calvin-hobbes-the-cardboard-box-2/ https://riteshjsr.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/recurring-motifs-...