•10:18 AM
July 31, 2010 10:18 a.m.
Yup. That's us all the way.
As you know, life in the 21st century calls for an endless supply of batteries, especially AA and AAA batteries. At our home, we charge our kids 25 cents a battery (or about half of what we had to pay for them). In this way, they are more careful about turning off things to conserve battery power, about using the rechargeables, and waiting for them to recharge again before using the device (instead of just putting in four fresh new batteries in the meantime). Batteries are a controlled commodity in our house.
Recently, Chips has gotten into the hobby of collecting and rehabilitating digital watches. He gets them mostly from thrift stores for a couple of dollars each, although he is currently saving money to buy a special new one. All of these watches consume batteries, and these batteries are expensive. But since the cheapskate parents haven't been ponying up for new batteries, he has had to be resourceful about watch batteries. This has caused Chips to be on the lookout for potential batteries around the house. He has removed batteries from old Happy Meal toys. He has removed batteries from old musical greeting cards. When he is interested in wearing one watch, he will steal the battery from another for the day. As a result, for months he has never needed to purchase a new watch battery.
Chips is learning ways to be economical and resourceful, all because we are too cheap to supply him with free batteries. It certainly makes toys that don't require batteries more attractive. He says it is "fun" to find new ways to power up his watches. I say it is a good thing, too.
Yup. That's us all the way.
Recently, Chips has gotten into the hobby of collecting and rehabilitating digital watches. He gets them mostly from thrift stores for a couple of dollars each, although he is currently saving money to buy a special new one. All of these watches consume batteries, and these batteries are expensive. But since the cheapskate parents haven't been ponying up for new batteries, he has had to be resourceful about watch batteries. This has caused Chips to be on the lookout for potential batteries around the house. He has removed batteries from old Happy Meal toys. He has removed batteries from old musical greeting cards. When he is interested in wearing one watch, he will steal the battery from another for the day. As a result, for months he has never needed to purchase a new watch battery.
Chips is learning ways to be economical and resourceful, all because we are too cheap to supply him with free batteries. It certainly makes toys that don't require batteries more attractive. He says it is "fun" to find new ways to power up his watches. I say it is a good thing, too.
2 comments:
This is an awesome idea! I might just borrow it (much to my kids' dismay, I'm sure.) Today, my boy got a lesson in the importance of caring for the pieces of this really cool building/engineering kit we bought at a used curriculum sale. He casually informed that he "broke" what he had built and "lost" the pieces. I informed him that he had better search his room and his lego buckets for the pieces or he would be buying replacement parts with his own money. Amazingly, within 15 minutes, all parts were found and accounted for!
We have rechargeable batteries. Anyone who wants non-rechargeable is welcome to just go buy them, but the cost is outrageous! Congrats to your son for being so resourceful. (And I'm doubly impressed that he's reviving watches!)