Things Not to Buy

....unless you're Bill Gates.  And maybe not even then.

So the last look at Shop 4 Kids showed there are some quite cute, even reasonably priced kid's gear out there.

This post - not so much.  After going through the magazine, I have three contenders for the "Overpriced, Ugly and Just Plain Wrong" category.   More money than sense indeed.

First up - Leopard Print for Mini-Mes!  

Yes, because leopard print is such a great idea for grown women in the first place - classy, you know?

And $90 for a pair of kid's shoes?  Totally reasonable.  It's not like their feet are growing fast or anything.

Even if we take the point that a little leopard could work in the right circumstances - what are those in the bottom right corner?  Yep, it's leopard print boardies!  Of all the contexts in which leopard print could perhaps work, swimwear for kids isn't one of them.  At least the taste line was drawn at showing a leopard print bikini for little girls.  Or perhaps they just couldn't find one.

The next contender is a baby carrier, not unlike the Baby Bjorn or other popular carriers.

Except this one is designer, made of leather, and costs $549.

And in my opinion, doesn't look at all comfortable.  If you're wondering, it's from Silver Cross - the same folk who make the Balmoral Pram which retails for around $3000 US.  Almost makes the baby carrier look reasonable.

And finally, we have what Shop 4 Kids describes as "one funky family ride" that "screams mummy chic":

A Family Bucket Bike.  For $1600.

Maybe it's just me, but that thing doesn't scream anything chic.  It doesn't scream anything except perhaps the kids who are giving off a distinct Village of the Damned vibe.

The caption also laments that the bucket bike isn't available in Australia.  I would imagine not, as I can't imagine how it would possibly pass safety standards - one quick corner and the kids will be tumbling out of their bucket faster than Jack and Jill.  Although given they're probably reading your mind and directing your will, maybe the lack of restraints and seats isn't a bad idea after all.

Shopping for another week.

I've neglected poor Shop 4 Kids this week.  A confluence of events have meant that our life has been crazy this past week and I just haven't had the time to read my magazine.

A job interview for Tony, a vatload of marking for me, a new car seat required for the baby who did a growth spurt, the changing of the seasons requiring tomato bushes to be planted (hey, I have my priorities!), the end of the non-teaching break and the brilliant decision to spend all yesterday driving around looking at houses even though a) we don't have plans to buy a new house and b) we don't have the money to buy a new house all mean that today involves me, a stack of essays, a HB pencil and a cramping hand.

(The sad side effect of the computer age - whenever I have to handwrite now for more than a few sentences, I cramp up.  My copperplate is suffering.)

Which is a long way of saying that it looks like it will be Shop 4 Kids for another week - until my marking is done and I have time to get to the newsagent and choose another title.  (I have some good ones in mind though.)

ishop 2.0

Internet shopping for kids.  It makes sense.  Going to the shops with the pram, the nappy bag, the food, the spare clothes, the dummies, the blankets and oh yes the kidlet is not always an easy or calming exercise.

Internet shopping for kids is quick, can be cheap and as kids are basically kid sized, chances are what you buy will fit.  And you can always err on the big side, because you know they're only getting bigger.

So, today Shop 4 Kids tells me where to blow my cash online.

First off is kidstylefile, a veritable imall of kid's stuff, which links to many many many other shops.   It appears the 80s are in for kids as well, if the batwing jumpers at Little Pinwheel are any indication:

Perhaps we'll pass on that one.  This however, from sendatoy is beyond cool.  The Rolobox Wheel Kit for cardboard boxes!

Easy attach plastic wheels to turn any box into a vehicle.  You can just attach and make (let's face it, a fairly unimaginative one as above) or if you go all out:

Very neat.

Toby is not walking yet, so no shoes for him most of the time.   When he does start going though, I'm going to be fighting the urge to head over to Little Moo Shoes.  

I'm also quite taken by Baby Goes Retro, but I'm not sure Tony will agree that Toby needs a $40 Danish animal onesie.  (But it's so cute!).

The final stop in our whirlwind ishopping tour (I need icoffee and an isitdown...) steers away from clothes and to something I am very much in favour of:  music for kids!  Rhythmic Kids has a great selection of instruments for little chubby fingers.

While this percussion set is the perfect gift to get back at other parents for something (and, ideally if you live far far away),  my heart is set on the baby trumpet.

Sensible things from a shopping magazine

Sounds ridiculous?  Despite my post on Monday, Shop 4 Kids does have some interesting and fairly sensible content.

Top of my list today is the 'Pack your bags' article in the pregnancy section (Shop 4 Kids:  In Utero!)

On the 'Vital, I packed it, would certainly agree list' are

• Gatorade - I went through a lot.  I got people to bring me some the next morning.  I found that during labour I didn't want to eat, but, given I was in labour for over 24 hours eating was kind of necessary.  Gatorade was a nice compromise.
• Pyjamas - Yes. But be warned, birth can be a messy business.  Take washable ones, not Peter Alexander silk pyjamas.
• Toothpaste and toothbrush - simple, but important.  After staying up all night and drinking so much Gatorade (see point 1) that your tongue is slightly blue, cleaning your teeth is a little luxury.
• Camera - no brainer, really.
• Champagne!  They suggest Veuve Clicquot, I think we had Mumm.  I say I think because, and this is the family of Mummy conspiracy, I was too whacked out after the birth (and in fact we waited 24 hours) to have more than the tiniest sip.  I'm assured everyone else in the family enjoyed the bubbles though.

The 'No, not really' category

• Make-up.  The article suggests a make-bag, bronzer, lip gloss, concealer and mascara.  I may be biased here because although I like makeup I wear it probably once a month.   Still, in my experience just washing your hair and cleaning your teeth after giving birth is a high achievement.  Standing up long enough in front of the mirror to actually apply makeup?  Not going to happen.
• Scented candle.  Nice idea but in most hospitals they don't allow open flames.  Something to do with the highly flammable gases apparently.  
• Hair-dryer:  See point 1 above.  Unless you have an amazing birth with singing angels, helpful rainbow dolphins and a 4 pound baby that pulls itself out, you aren't going to feel like doing a neat blow out.   Take the scrunchies and prepare for ponytails for a few days.

And finally, in the spirit of something I have learnt from this magazine:  Stuff I wish I'd brought and will do next time.

• Shower gel.   The accompanying text is 'Hospital shower gel is nasty and you're going to want a serious shower power after game time'.   They have a point.  After all the hard work, it would be nice to turn what is a fairly industrial shower into something  a little more scented.
• Nursing dress.  I had planned to go to the birth centre, have the baby, and be home within about 4-6 hours of the birth.  We left for the birth centre at night, so I just took pyjamas and a dressing gown.  After all that's all I'd need, right?  (Cue sound of a million Mums laughing.)  Yeah, babies don't follow plans.  After a transfer up to the hospital, a loooong labour and overnight admittance, we left the afternoon two days after we arrived.   And I was still wearing my pyjamas (I managed to lose my dressing gown.  In fact, perhaps I should add that point - don't take anything you're not prepared to lose!)   It would have been nice to have had a shower with my shower gel and to have left wearing actual clothes.

In these Tough Economic Times...

My mother-in-law reads this blog.  I know this, because after reading yesterday's post, she accused me of being a soft touch, and spoiling Toby (which is, as everyone knows, a grandparent's right and duty, not a mother's!).

Hmmm.  She may have a point.

However, it is Monday and therefore time for a new magazine.   This one I chose for a number of reasons.  Firstly, I have a heap of marking to do this week and I wanted something that required less concentration.  I liked the tractors, but I still don't know what a grub screw is, and this week I don't have the time to try and find out.   Secondly, in the spirit of the economic stimulus, the global economic crisis and calls for consumers to do their bit, I thought this magazine appropriate.  And in light of the TractorGate toy episode, I will do my best not to buy anything for Toby as a result of this week's magazine - a positive shrine to consumerism:  Shop 4 Kids!  

Wait, this may not have been a good idea.

A few years ago, a new magazine came out called Shop Til You Drop.  I was, and still am, astounded that there could be a whole magazine that was just shopping.  Isn't that the point of advertising?

However, Shop Til You Drop was a success, so much so that it has spawned different versions of itself.  There is the one off magazine Shop Girl, aimed at the 'tween' market.  I'm not making this up.  I didn't chose that one because a) it's only a one off - I think magazines need to be periodical to be proper magazines (magazine snob!  Watch me break that rule when there's a one off I actually want to feature) and b) I didn't think I could cope.  I oscillate between being horrified at the concept, and, in the context of having seen my now 13 year old sister start an interest in fashion and shopping over the past 3 years or so, grudgingly impressed at the niche marketing.  As the media flurry shows, I'm not the only one who finds this magazine disturbing.

However, as well as Shop Girl, there's also Shop 4 Kids.  I have a kid.  I shop.  Seems like a perfect combination, right?  It should be an easy week of leafing through a magazine.

Not so much.  My ease of reading so far as been impacted by the eye rolling (oh yes, I think a $159 dress is a great idea for a toddler.  What, there's a matching one for Mum for only $399?  What a fantastic idea!), my genuine inability to tell the difference between the actual content and the advertising at times, and the urge to throw the magazine across the room at certain points (usually involving ridiculously grown up and inappropriate attire for little girls.  No, baby bikinis are not cute.  Nor are little girls lounging by the pool in bathing suits with mocktails and pretending to read Danielle Steele novels).

I also have an issue with the title.  It's the 4.  I mean, Toby is going to be of the sms generation.  I get that.  He'll use acronyms and abbreviations that I don't understand.  Text speech will probably be old school by the time he's baffling me, but I'm sure there will be some alternative to lol or rofl that will be cool.   Even though I get this, I don't have to encourage it.  Can't he learn the real words before we start shortening them?  It's the same reason I refuse to buy any Playskool branded toys.  I don't think toys with a deliberate misspelling in their name is a great start for your child's reading and spelling skills.  I want my kid to write properly, and I want his environment set up to assist this.  If Toby forges a late note, I want it to believable.  "Sry Toby wuz l8 4 skool" just won't cut it!

Hmm.  Far from encouraging my materialistic side, it seems Shop 4 Kids is exposing my curmudgeonly, crunchy, earth mother side.  I have a sudden urge to go out and stir the compost bins while reading to Toby, humming The Internationale and perhaps baking organic cookies.  

It should be a fun week.

The problem with toy shops

Well, we didn't build a tractor.

We did however visit the shops, and Toby managed to communicate his approval of the week's theme.

While we managed not to come home with one of the big ones, I am currently looking at a John Deere dual wheeled mini tractor that is not in the shop any more, but rather here on my desk next to me.

I wonder if Toby will do so well out of next week's magazine.... 

You're never to old to have fun in a field.

One of the things that has struck me from reading Classic Tractor is how people enjoy their passions - whether those passions are knitting, reading, gardening, cooking, playing sports, taking nature walks, or, say - tractors.

For a yarn-o-phile such as myself, the Alpaca tent at the Murrambateman Field Day is my idea of a great day out.  There's fleece a plenty, interesting people, cool animals and of course, yarn. Now I think of it, my dedication to the Alpaca tent may be why I haven't learnt much about tractors at the Field Day yet. 

For other people, a great day out also involves a field.  But instead of alpacas, substitute in three Massey-Ferguson tractors, a tractor trailer, big bags of fertiliser (1000kg of big) and a little device called a Pressure Control system.

Basically a Pressure Control system is coupler and chain that loops around a trailer's drawbar, and works to increase the traction of the tractor.  Apparently the device never really caught on in the tractor set: Classic Tractor laments that "many farmers viewed it as a gimmick".  Never one to be deterred by trends or popularity though, Classic Tractor decided to test out how well the system actually worked.

Now, to be fair, they had a pretty thorough system of testing worked out.  They used three different tractors, each with different pulling power.  The tractors were tested first without the pressure system, and the wheel slip was measured.  The tractor was then fitted with the Pressure Control system and the wheel slip was remeasured, over the same course.

The results were pretty impressive - the MF 165 had a 33% wheel slip without the system and 8.4 tonnes of fertiliser.   With the system, and front weights on the tractor, the wheel slip was only 16% for a 10.8 tonne load.  (That's a lot of fertiliser.)  All very serious stuff, and valuable information.

Still, as I read the article I see:

A lot of people standing around in a field very intently watching a tractor:

A tractor doing a wheelie:

(The text in the article was "All four former MF employees warned us that Pressure Control wouldn't work without front weights attached.  They were right, as this picture demonstrates.")

And four very happy looking farmers at the end of the day:

And I suspect this whole thing was less about the impressive percentages and more about being out in a field with some tractors, some fertiliser and generally having a Good Day Out.   And there's certainly nothing wrong with that.