Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Thrifting Makes Me a More Understanding Mama

It does.

Let me share a real life example:

Disclaimer:  I'm sure someone out there is tempted to say, "OH my children will never ruin anything."  Here are my thoughts to that.  Perhaps you have no children and no experience with children.  Perhaps you are in denial. Or perhaps your precious child has never been rough with anything. 

I was once a perfect parent too-- before I had children.  I once had a child (two even!) that had never broken anything really until they were maybe 4ish and even then I am pretty sure it was an accident...  Go on... keep telling everyone how perfect everything is.  Either they can see through it or you'll humbled soon enough.  And maybe they will be nice enough to laugh when you aren't around. 

;)  

I'm all about keeping things real! 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.  I thrift a good bit especially here lately when I happen to have a bit more time on my hands than what I am used to.  

We found an amazing neighborhood yard sale early in the season and got quite a few things in mint condition for cheap.  

I bought a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Book for $1.  It retailed for $19.99.  I happen to have two Mickey Mouse Clubhouse fanatics in my home so I scooped it up.  No brainer. 

Well.. imagine my surprise when I walked in the room during naptime and found this: 





Yes. The child shall remain unnamed.  

But let me tell ya.  I was NOT pleased with what I saw.  Books are treasured in our home.  I was bummed.  But I reacted a whole heap nicer than I would have if I had actually paid retail and it had only lasted less than a week in our home. 

Ahem.  

Anyway.  I've noticed that an added plus of thrifting is that I'm not near as upset when things are broken or even abused. Yes, I still taught my son that we should take care of our things and that we shouldn't tear things up. 

Heck.. we even got a little religious teaching in when the same son said, "You can fix it? You make it new? All better?" 

Honey.. only God can make all things new again.  He can even make our hearts new.  And thank God for that!
 

~Stephanie

1 comment:

Margery said...

I so agree, I learned by the second boy not to buy new pants from age 4-12. Because you will just cry over the grass stains and holes. Much better to buy at the thrift store for 3.00. Only downside is most boys in that size range are hard on clothes and they can be hard to find.