A New Rabbit Hole
This week, I'm preparing to dive down a new rabbit hole with Lucia and Greta, into the world of Shopkins. As anyone who knows us knows, for the past two-plus years the girls have been focused almost exclusively on My Little Ponies, with my blessing and enablement. They are still very into their ponies. The blind bags, the apple farm and all its accessories, the many Apple Family members they've collected. They've flirted with Equestria Girls, a related toy, and they still like princesses, and Beanie Boos. But it's mostly been ponies, ponies, ponies. And more ponies.
But now--they've learned of Shopkins. And Shopkins are everything my children love: tiny and endlessly collectible, far better in great quantities. Unfortunately for Andrew, that's what appeals to me about them too, and already I find myself learning their names, learning about the different "seasons" of Shopkins, learning my children's character preferences: Greta prefers the dessert Shopkins; Lucia likes the desserts and the lipsticks.
So far, I've printed out a bunch of Shopkins coloring pages for them, and today I bought them each a Shopkins puzzle at the Dollar Tree. This is not cutting it. Tonight, Lucia expressed her deep, deep longing for actual Shopkins. Full disclosure: I already purchased some, on a rare day when, casually passing by the Shopkins aisle at Target, I saw that the section wasn't totally cleaned out. I'll bestow these Shopkins on them this week, surely as a form of outright bribery to get Greta to not throw a fit before her swimming lesson. And they will be beyond thrilled.
And so a new stage, potentially, begins. Perhaps the Shopkins and the ponies will coexist--entirely possible. A lot of things coexist with the ponies. Or, perhaps, L&G will finally move on. I, myself, am not ready to move on from ponies, and I feel this may be a crucial juncture. Am I just a mom who likes to buy blind bag ponies because they make my kids so happy; or am I a grown woman who REALLY REALLY likes blind bag ponies and has so far been able to pass off her own impressive collection as her kids'? I'm afraid the truth will soon be revealed to all of us.
But now--they've learned of Shopkins. And Shopkins are everything my children love: tiny and endlessly collectible, far better in great quantities. Unfortunately for Andrew, that's what appeals to me about them too, and already I find myself learning their names, learning about the different "seasons" of Shopkins, learning my children's character preferences: Greta prefers the dessert Shopkins; Lucia likes the desserts and the lipsticks.
So far, I've printed out a bunch of Shopkins coloring pages for them, and today I bought them each a Shopkins puzzle at the Dollar Tree. This is not cutting it. Tonight, Lucia expressed her deep, deep longing for actual Shopkins. Full disclosure: I already purchased some, on a rare day when, casually passing by the Shopkins aisle at Target, I saw that the section wasn't totally cleaned out. I'll bestow these Shopkins on them this week, surely as a form of outright bribery to get Greta to not throw a fit before her swimming lesson. And they will be beyond thrilled.
And so a new stage, potentially, begins. Perhaps the Shopkins and the ponies will coexist--entirely possible. A lot of things coexist with the ponies. Or, perhaps, L&G will finally move on. I, myself, am not ready to move on from ponies, and I feel this may be a crucial juncture. Am I just a mom who likes to buy blind bag ponies because they make my kids so happy; or am I a grown woman who REALLY REALLY likes blind bag ponies and has so far been able to pass off her own impressive collection as her kids'? I'm afraid the truth will soon be revealed to all of us.
Comments