First ding

You know how that first ding in a brand new car is the most painful? Apparently, the same feeling can happen for kids toys, especially board games.

We only have 2 board games for Tobey: Chutes & Ladders and Candyland. The first time Tobey played Chutes & Ladders, he somehow broke the corner seam of the box cover. But it was a clean break and the rest of the box was in tact so although disappointed, I could deal with it. Especially since lately, we've been favoring Candyland over C&L.

But today, I found myself a bit whiny with disappointment after discovering a few "fatal" flaws with our Candyland game. First of all, while I was cooking breakfast, Tobey pulled out both board games and pretty much scattered pieces and boards all over the playroom. I could deal -- he'd just have to clean it up. But then he fell off the futon and ended up smooshing both box tops.

I gave due sympathy for his boo boos because it wasn't until we were actually cleaning up the mess that I realized not only were the corner seams broken, but the tops had creases from the fall. They were no longer "pristine" box sets, they were on their way to being tattered. I was distraught to see folds and creases where there shouldn't be and the corners were not clean breaks like the first one. All we need is to put masking tape on the outside and these will look like my old board games from the 1970's.

Yes, I felt guilty at that moment for lamenting more our smooshed box tops over Tobey's physical safety.

What pushed me over into disappointment and whininess was when we started playing Candyland and I discovered brown smudges all over the cards (including one ghastly creased card). What the? Then I remembered Christopher and Nicholas playing Candyland last week when I offered them ice cream sandwiches. Doh! I really only have myself to blame for that but I really wanted to blame a 7 and 5 year old for not eating more neatly.

It's clear that I have some Monk tendencies to let go of. I'm *this* close to wanting to buy a new Candyland except that it would only lead to another "first ding" experience. And I just don't know if my heart can handle it.