Painted Wings and Giant Rings
Greetings to everyone.
We knew Xavier would like them. He had played with them at school and other places. Rebecca and I were thinking ahead to Christmas 2018 to get Xavier some of his own.
Those plans blew out of the water a few weeks ago. Xavier attended a Lego-themed birthday party. One of the party favors given out was a little 30-piece kit—a man and a wheeled cart with a laser.
Xavier, along with the other children at the party, built their toy (with adults helping guide them when asked). Shortly thereafter, most of the kids went on to other toys and games. Not Xavier. He built, took apart, then built again his toy.
He slept with it that night. He took it to school with him the next day. The day following that he forgot it as we left for school; he wanted me to return home and bring it to him in class (of course, I did not agree to that).
He discovered Lego mini-movies on Netflix (brilliant marketing "films" really). "Daddy, I want more Legos" became a common request over the next few weeks.
As a reward for being so well behaved while I drove him all over to shop for groceries and other household needs, we hit a local Walmart store and bought a rather complex 80-some piece plane. We built that plane a dozen times. He took it to a friend's house (fully built with all the parts). They blew it up several times, losing fourteen pieces during their play.
Later, the Easter Bunny left him two new kits for him to find. He played with those quite a lot, sleeping with several assembled models.
The hunger for more only increased with each new kit. When we bought the plane at Walmart, Xavier learned that Legos come in bulk. This, he did not forget. Shortly after Easter Sunday, he asked for more Lego and reminded me of the bulk parts. He wanted to build designs of his own, not just the kits.
Xavier has been saving his chore earnings for a specific firetruck (which he is about $55 shy). I explained he could get more Lego if he used his own money. (I set a limit of seven dollars).
He and I discussed how using that seven dollars would mean he was taking money away from his firetruck (we have a goal sheet on the refrigerator he fills in when he gets paid). We discussed how, if he bought Lego with his firetruck money, he was saying that Lego was more important than his firetruck. He grasp some of it, but long-term planning is not a strength of four going on five year olds.
Seven of his hard-earned dollars in hand, we headed out to the stores yesterday. The last stop we made was Walmart, though Xavier pleaded for Walmart to be the first stop!
We looked over much of the Lego offerings on the shelves, and found one within budget having 221 pieces (Dad said he would match Xavier's $7 dollar for dollar, thus doubling his buying power).
Like the painted wings and giant rings in the song Puff the Magic Dragon, Legos have replaced Tinker Toys, just as Tinker Toys replaced Hot Wheels. Xavier still plays with his Tinker Toys and Hot Wheels, but they take a back seat to his new favorite toy.