I can now say that I know what my mom was thinking when my sister and I came home BEGGING for slap bracelets..."WTF is the big deal?" (Although I'm pretty sure that 'WTF' wasn't a popular acronym back in the 80s and I'm DEFINITELY sure my mom has never thought the 'F'.)
Anyway...back to my point. A fad is a fad is a fad...and when it comes to kiddie fads, they normally don't make any sense. From the pet rock to the Furby to this past year's Zhu Zhu pets, who really knows why certain things become the obsession of millions of children everywhere?
And we have officially been invaded by Silly Bandz.
Ben first brought one home from school--I think it was an orange goat-looking rubber band--and I honestly had no idea what it was. Then began the fixation on rubber bands. I thought he was talking about regular rubber bands, but oh no--that's not what he wanted. So, I picked up a box of colored rubber bands. Fail...again.
Then came the note from the teachers at school: "Please leave all silly bands at home--they are a distraction to students. Thanks!"
What ARE these silly bands?! I started seeing signs--at cash registers and then on the marquee in front of Walgreen's: "WE HAVE SILLY BANDZ!!!" I swear they must have used up all the exclamation points for this announcement. The local toy store is even holding a Silly Bandz trading event. I'm pretty sure it will be packed.
I still don't really understand the fascination...but I picked up a pack of them for Ben. When I gave them to him in the car, congratulating him on having several days at school with "good choices", his face lit up...see above. He even slept with all 12 of them on his wrist that night.
I'm sure this is just the first of many fads I will have to endure as a consumer-parent...and I'm sure it won't be the last time I shake my head, mutter "I don't understand why you want this" under my breath, and just pay the lady behind the counter.
