…Just
muster all your conviction, and say ‘NO’. That’s it.
I’m
assuming you are reading this because you know for a fact that your child who’s
asking for a fidget spinner does NOT have a medical or developmental issue that
would warrant a need to be addressed by said gadget. In other words, your child
is developmentally normal. And so is mine, which made it effortless for me to
say ‘no’.
Three
days ago, I heard the words that I’ve been dreading for the past two months. I
honestly thought I was in the clear, but just when I was getting cocky, he
blurted, “Mama, can I please have a fidget spinner?” Saying no was not a
problem. I didn’t even pause for a second before making it clear to my son that
I will not be granting his request. What took longer was explaining to
him why I’m saying no.
You absolutely don’t need
it. You don’t even fidget, for crying out loud!
I
mean, okay, maybe you sometimes tap your fingers, or shake your legs, or move
in your chair, touch your hair, scratch your ear or eyes. I don’t care. The
point is, your degree of fidgeting is normal and I’ve spoken to every teacher
you’ve had in the past 7 years and they can all attest to your ability to stay
focused. You have no problem with concentration and you’re actually a
remarkably good student with no attention-span or behavior issues. Even if you
did have anxiety, stress or ADHD (who, according to the marketers of this
fidget spinner, are the ones who can benefit most from this gadget), I believe
there are better ways of helping you with your issues than getting you this
spinner.
It’s just a fad. And a
useless one in my view.
According
to the website of the makers of
this device, the fidget spinner is a “new office gadget and children's toy to help improve
focus and concentration while reducing ADHD and bad habits…(They) believe
that the symptoms of ADHD and stress can be reduced with (their) tools to
release the nervous energy rather than by taking prescription drugs.”
The
‘bad habits’ they refer to are things people do when they’re nervous, stressed
out or bored, such as nail biting, gum chewing, or foot-tapping and this fidget
toy is supposed to take the place of those bad habits, hence increasing
concentration and productivity.
Really?
Seriously?? This toy is so new and there is no real scientific data that can
back up those claims. Have they really measured before and after cases? Any longitudinal studies to date? How
many subjects? What variables were isolated? Until I find reliable scientific data regarding their claims, I’m taking them all to be marketing b.s.
If
you really want to stop biting your nails or shaking your leg, just stop. Or maybe
do what my generation did and spin your
pen instead. No toys needed.
Which
brings me to this point…
Let’s be honest…It’s a
toy!
And
you only want it because everyone else seems to have one even though they don’t
know why. What’s worse is that some kids think they need it, end up bringing it
to school and then getting distracted by it, therefore getting the opposite
effect of what it’s marketed for.
It’s
a stupid, unnecessary toy, as far as I’m concerned. It spins. Yeah, get a top, I think we
already have one.
You want something that goes around your fingers to keep you
occupied?...Yeah, you can play with rubber bands too and create cool shapes!
You’re
stressed?...We have a stress ball for you to squeeze. Or maybe you can just close
your eyes and take slow, deep breaths.
This
spinner thing is really not that cool and I’m not buying it, literally and
figuratively.
***
I
have nothing against buying toys for my son, as long as we can afford it, he
deserves or needs it, and bonus points if I’m a fan of it. But this fidget
spinner fad bugs the heck out of me. I don’t want my son to fall into the trap
of wanting something just because others have it. I don’t want him to think it’s
okay to spend money on something just because it’s cheap or he can afford it. I
want him to pause and think about its purpose, why he truly wants something,
what he’ll get out of it, and if the gadget or toy truly makes sense.
This
one does not. And I don’t like how it hides behind the façade of being
developmentally or cognitively beneficial. If children suffer from anxiety,
stress, or ADHD, there are a ton of experts who can more effectively help out
and can equip these children with practices backed by true science and
research. There is no single magic tool, spinning or not, that can address those
issues, at least not yet. I don’t care if it’s 99 cents or fifteen dollars. The answer is NO.
wow, your that one person at the party, that one person who thinks, yeah I know this. Thanks for the laugh! I glad people like you exist, it reminds of the need for humans to not be pathetic and self loathing and that.... "hey what this a spinning device of some kind?" *spin.....*spin... Now what were you saying again?
ReplyDeleteAmen to the author. I walked through a gadget store the other day and I saw a dad with an expression like he just heard his favourite show got cancelled, and a screaming child trying to convince his dad he needs this toy that is ridiculously expensive for what it basically is. A bearing and some plastic or metal. A resounding NO THANK YOU from me...ill stick to twirling my pen between my fingers.
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