Comments on: They Won’t Remember The Wii

By: Stretch Mark Mama

Stretch Mark Mama — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:17:17 +0000

My mom always said the Very Same Thing (with a great amount of guilt). I never understood it either! It must have been some kind of generational thing b/c holy smokes, I can’t imagine myself EVER saying that to MY kids. I fend the “stuff” off like a crazy person, but it still flies in through the door.

Might have something to do with my mom growing up w/ a “Depression era” mom, thus rendering HER growing up years as “deprived.” Man, have the tables turned or what?

And I realize this post is not about the Wii (and I doubt you have anything against the Wii; neither do I). But hello, did EVERY family in the country (except us) get one for Christmas? Yes?

My wise old owl husband, in response to my 7YO begging for that toy asked him, “What would you gain by having a Wii…and what would you lose?”

I would have loved the Depression. All that making do and resourcefulness and forced simplicity.

By: Gini

Gini — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:47:19 +0000

I had a sales clerk at Sam’s Club ask me in Dec. if I was having a good holiday. I said “If I could just figure out what to get my 15 year old daughter, I’d be great.” He said I should get her a Wii. I laughed and said, “We have 2 girls in college and the 15 year old is facing her 6th hip surgery. There will not be any Wii under the tree. I think it will be a socks and underwear Christmas.” Gifts were practical with at least one fun thing thrown in – a gun that shoots mini marshmellows was a huge hit with the 15 year old!

By: Janis

Janis — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:10:49 +0000

Do not waste a moment to spend time with your children, because you never know, circumstances might rob you of the opportunity. My husband was diagnosed with cancer when our daughters were very young. He spent a lot of energy just trying to work and stay alive so that he could be with them as long as possible. Sadly, he was tired , grumpy, and ill almost all the time. I hope that they will forget that part and remember that he was always willing to play endless games of UNO and that he spent months planning vacations our family could enjoy together.
I am so sad that my husband is not here now to spend time with his girls. I treasure and appreciate that I can spend so much time talking, and listening, and being with them. Whether, it’s going out to Panera’s for lunch, watching TV, or going to Target for toliet paper, it doesn’t matter. The companionship is what it’s all about.
For eight days in September we lived without any power, after Hurricane Ike blew through Ohio. Yes, it’s true. Every sweet electronic that we relied upon to supply us with constant entertaiment stared back blankly. I wonder if my girls will remember the time we spent together that week, searching for open places to eat, playing Scrabble, and snuggled together at night, each quietly reading by ever dimming flashlights. I hope that they forget how much they missed the computers and TV.

By: Sally

Sally — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:39:11 +0000

We didn’t have much money when I was growing up, either, and my Mom made all of my clothes, when everyone else had store-bought clothes. But that never bothered me, because my Mom was such an
excellent seamstress and so I had beautiful outfits that no one else had and I was proud to wear them.
I also loved the fact that my Mom was a stay-at-home Mom and was always very involved in my school and was always home when I got home from school. I had a great childhood!!

By: Grafted Branch@Restoring the Years

Grafted Branch@Restoring the Years — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:20:06 +0000

It’s true! IT’S TRUE! You got that right! That’s IT!

Oh…*sigh* how I’ve been trying to figure out why I can’t remember much of anything from my childhood–not even a conversation of any depth with my parents…about *anything*.

And now I realize that it’s not only my poor memory at work. It’s that they worked tag-team shifts to buy us things. Good things. Necessary things. But boy, did that *stuff* come at a high price.

Time is definitely what they’ll remember. Simple time. Quiet time. Slow time.

Great post! Thanks for writing this.

By: MommyJ

MommyJ — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:31:53 +0000

Didn’t have time to read all the comments, but will say this.

AM – You’re not out of touch with reality, or culture, or anything.

It is possible to be a teenager and want to spend time with your family. I was one. Loved my brothers and sisters, loved my parents, and wasn’t ashamed if my friends new it.

I don’t think AM was asking anyone to defend their desire to have a wii or any other technological device. It isn’t about the stuff. Have the stuff, if you want it. But it won’t be the stuff that matters in the end. It’s the time that will matter. So if you’re going to worry about something, worry about the time, not the stuff.

What I remember about my youth is that my parents seemed happiest when we were all together as a family. My Mom loved being with her kids… I hope that’s what my kids remember when they are grown as well. I had someone stop me and my four young children in the grocery store and say, “Don’t worry… they’ll all grow up one day and then real life can begin.” I was so resentful… I replied that I was loving every minute with my small children and I hoped they didn’t grow up too fast, because I dind’t want to miss a second of it.

It’s about the attitude you have as a parent. Not about what you can or can’t buy. I think perhaps THAT was the point of the original post.

By: Jeanne A

Jeanne A — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:28:57 +0000

The “comparisons” drive me crazy. My youngest who is 11 and in 5th grade was perfectly happy with her Christmas gifts. She’d gotten two large chunks of money from an uncle and a grandparent. And we’d bought her a (used) but it was hers—snow board.

THEN she went back to school. And that night she was miserable–misbehaving, bad attitude, disobedient, etc. Finally about bedtime she broke down in tears and told me that she’d gotten the worst gifts of anyone in her class and less cash than most of them. She was sobbing hysterically. It made me want to go out and buy her everything—but deep down inside I knew that wasn’t the answer anyway. But it did work, in that I didn’t make her wash her hair right then.

Other years I just would tell them that we’d given them things that their friends didn’t have—brothers and sisters. (We have 5 adopted kids.) This year I didn’t try that line.

Hopefully that’s what they will remember over time.

By: Shalee

Shalee — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:15:27 +0000

We like to do lots of things together too. Having no money doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun! According to The Boy,he likes it when we play board games together, we play dominoes together, shoot marshmallows at each other with our marshmallow guns, take walks together and talk to each other. He also likes it when we watch a movie together as a family too.

We just got the Wii, but it’s nice knowing that the other things, the not electric things”, already stand out as memories.

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:48:12 +0000

It isn’t the Wii in family, it is the “WE”
in family.

By: Diamond

Diamond — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:14:55 +0000

I don’t know why this entry you have written is so captivating, but to me it is. It might be time for me to make a New Years resolution,normally that’s not for me.
I’ve found a book titled “Simplify Your Life” it is written by Elaine St. James all about “100 ways to slow down and enjoy the things that really matter” I won’t be able to follow all the suggestions but slowing down and enjoying leisure time sounds great.I’ll be able to Take time to rest,time to relax,or create,time to think and imagine.Somehow all this will become a habit.
Material wealth vs mother child relationships is food for thought.
My sons are adults and I aim to stay connected that’s my new years resolution,why stop now, and I know I’ll always be remembered,you should hear them now with all their stories.
Thank you for your pennings.
I’m looking forward to enjoying this time (2009) of renewal, 30 plus years of parenting and I’m just warming up! I’m sure some of this change will baffel many of the people who know me well, but the only way to succeed is to change, for children grow and with that growth comes change.