Another piece of sage advice that we disregarded: Never, under any circumstances buy toys in a child's presence. The idea is that if you NEVER buy them things, even when they're not begging for them, they will stop asking.Uhm ... This lasted all the way up until she learned to talk and asked oh so syrupy sweetly for a stuffed cat. She named him Fudgy and our fate was sealed.
We are pushovers.
So today at the apple orchard -- which for some strange reason (possibly a result of the fact that farmers don't live by apples alone ... you know since China surpassed our apple production in the 90s) harbors an entire gift shop of overpriced toys and novelties that have nothing whatsoever to do with apples -- when Annabel begged and pleaded for a stuffed cow that chimes moo (three times) when you press its middle, we struck a bargain.
If we bought the $10 bovine she would choose two toys in her collection that we would ship to an underprivileged kid somewhere in the world. She quickly agreed.
So as we make room for MOO on her bed, Buffy Bunny and two of her friends (Annabel was insistent they go in threes) are off to Iraq, where they will have a second chance at love. The toy drive is being undertaken by United States Army Corp of Engineers Officer Edmay Mayers who is taking it upon herself to distribute the playthings to impoverished children. Until recently, she's been buying the animals and candy herself, but the need has overwhelmed her resources.
So do a good deed today. If you have gently used toys that need children to love them, send them to her here:
Edmay Mayers
USACE-GRS
APO AE 09331
4 comments:
Thanks for the reminder! I actually have bags of beenie babies sitting in the closet that I have thought of slowly shipping over.
The other place I have found that takes stuffed animals are the local fire departments. They then distribute them to kids on calls they respond to.
I'm so glad you mentioned this! It's such a great great thing she's doing - and we're busy gathering up a box of our toys as well.
Even better, you're teaching your daughter something very good. But you already know that.
And to piggyback on what Mom-102 (yeah, I know, but she's 102 now, or 2.0 or something)said, not only is she learning about the joy of giving, she's also learning the joy of being a would-chuck. Yaaaaay for less kiddie clutter. Now I just have to work on my own!
We were at an apple orchard this weekend, too. It seems the little grocery store attached was just as expensive as a gift shop. My dad actually shelled out $40 for apples! Apples! Of course, he wanted some to eat, and some for pies. Enough pies to feed a neighborhood. Through Halloween. And the orchard people wanted $100 or more to make your own scarecrow!
I'll be looking through my son's toy collection for the gently used things that we can send over. That's an awesome idea.
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