He was pretty sure that he would die some sort of grade school social death if he didn’t obtain them immediately.
I was pretty sure that he wouldn’t.
I remembered seeing the rubber bands in different shapes online a few months prior to his plea and thinking how stupid they were because when you put them on your wrist the shape was inconsequential.
Yep, I can really spot those trends.
As the days went on, Ryan became more and more insistent that animal shaped rubber bands were a necessity.
On a day when he was particularly agreeable, I said we would go to the store to see if we could find some Silly Bandz.
Oh how naive I am.
We started at Wal-Mart who then sent us to Hobby Lobby who then sent us to Brilliant Sky who then sent us to Charming Charlie who then sent us to Justice who then sent us to Hallmark.
The wild rubber band goose chase was on.
At first I was trying to help Ryan and then my competitive nature took over and I was pretty sure that if any rubber band existed within a 30 mile radius of my home and it had any shape at all, I was going to find it.
I might not be a collector, but I am a competitor.
I soon learned that my hometown in the suburbs of Dallas might be the capitol of competitive collectin’ moms. The more stores we visited, the more shake of the heads we received. Each location had a similar tale of rubber band lacking woe…
We had them. A lot of them. But they sold out. Good luck finding them. We should have another shipment soon.
I decided to give up and haunt the Facebook page of the local toy store that promised to announce the new shipment arrival.
We went down to Fort Worth the next day to visit my in-laws. We passed a Walgreens and I asked blog-Stedman to stop so I could run in and do one more check for Silly Bandz before I declared complete defeat.
They had them by the BOX.
As I sat down in the aisle and placed all the style of bands in neat little piles so I could assess the treasure. My head filled the flighty dream of buying them all and selling them out of the back of my minivan for profit.
These things are rubber gold just 45 minutes North!
I shook myself back into reality and restrained myself. Kinda. I bought 3 of each style not doing the math that each box contains 12 bands…that is a grand total of 288 bands that will be floating around my house being chewed on by the cat and swallowed by the vacuum.
The boys don’t know how many I have. I handed out a few the first day and on each day of successful summer reading completion they earn one more band. Little do they know that they will be receiving them as special treats well into their college days.
I feel a little silly, but relieved that I am not having to talk them into potato shaped bands…
…because what self-respecting grade school-er wears a tuber on his wrist?
Been there, done that. Awful.
theknowledgeeater.blogspot.com/
From what I’m hearing on the interwebs, these have been outlawed in at least 6 states back East. Something about them being ‘distracting’.
The craze hasn’t hit the Pacific NW yet – a veritable rubberized zoo in a rainbow of colors 😉
Haha!!!! That is hysterical. I totally know what you mean though- once something becomes a competition my type-A personality overwhelms my normal type-B one!
And if it makes you feel better- I thought the same thing when i first saw them! They are only animals till you put them on!! lol.
Yes jerseygirl you said it right it’s like chocolate crack. Not only to the kids but to some of us out of control competitive moms. I never thought I was competitive until I realized, I just drove all over the universe and almost ran out of gas for these things. I even held one I loved up in the air and jumped up and down like I just hit the jackpot it a casino. OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!
OHHHHMIIIIIGGOOOOHHHHHHDDDDDD I need some of those. What walgreens did you get them at? Do they have any more? Can you hook me up? I just need a little fix.
we have succombed to silly band madness at our house. and yeah, they are all over the place. and yeah, the boys seem to be over it now. goodie.
oh man – I am just waiting for the first silly bandz lawsuit because I swear – those things are going to cut off the circulation in my girls arms! In my house you have to potential to earn two a day – one if you go through the day without a fit, a second if you eat your 5 (fruits and vegetables) a day.
🙂
Holly
I’m doing a musical revue with a bunch of high schoolers, and I was literally attacked and given silly bandz. Because I am in my 20s and it was sad that I didn’t have any.
Moral: Being dried-out 20-something makes crazy high schoolers part with their most prized possessions. Who knew!?
My kids were all about those last month but now they’re into umbrella hats. Yes. UMBRELLA HATS. Try finding one of those around here. Good luck.
Ah, I think I will be getting the nephews some rubber band guns next time presents are required. Seeing as you have already purchased all the needed ammo.