Kids looking at toys. - FILE PHOTOS
LONG BEFORE HER first daughter was born seven years ago, 32-year-old Roxanne knew that toys for the young ones were no 'play play' matter. "I come from the old school, well, not old old school, but old enough to know that Nintendo and cars with batteries are not essentials of life. My father used to make kites, not go into a store and buy one. So I was not going to spend an arm and a leg on toys for my children, no matter what," she said.
Plus, she questioned the educational value of some of the 'foolishness' she saw on sale. "I mean, I know they are supposed to develop their motor skills, but there is just so much you can do with flashing lights," the junior high school teacher said.
So she started the 'home toys' process from very early and, another daughter later, has no regrets. Along with her partner, she has been through kites, juice box pull-along cars, hand paper puppets, home made Ludo and Snakes ladders on cartridge paper and even she has made an attempt at a doll or two, although she laughs that "my mother was much better at sewing than me".
Being a teacher, wall charts also were a part of the process, with word games being played almost every night. Roxanne beams as she says that the children's reading skills are "well above average" for their ages.
"I not only saved money, but I also interacted with them. As a teacher I know how important that is and yes, it was a lot of time, but it was time well spent," she said.
MAKING CONCESSIONS
She realises, though, that the older child is getting to the stage where more is required and says she will make concessions for a starter computer.
As a carpenter, 32-year-old Montego Bay resident Lancelot has fond memories of making toys for his three children, beginning in his early 20s. "Yeah, me go store, well, mostly them mother still, but mos' a dem tings a me mek dem," he said. Among those were a doll that could be assembled and disassembled and a pull along wagon, both made from wood.
And as he does a little carving, as well as has the machinery required to smooth off the material, he made quite a few gigs for the two boys. "Me no used to yo yo and spinning top whe light up an all them thing deh," Lance said, laughing. "Me is a man whe used to go primary school and split man gig top. So me show my yute dem dem life deh, wind up yu cord and let it go, y'nuh," he said.
However, both parents said when the children started going to school and heard the other children talking about their toys, they had wanted store bought items as well. "You just have to hold strong," Roxanne said.
"Sometimes you give in and let them have a treat, but I believe they will remember me more for the things I made , or tried to make." Lancelot took a firmer stance. "This a before cable get so nuff, so yu never really get the pressure from the cartoon them so much like wha me see now, where as a child see something on cable then pest them parents for it. But still, me mek dem know sey dem no fi watch wha odda people have. Yu have to satisfy an see it, them remember them nice time. Is jus' one thing though; me couldn mek kite good, so them uncle do that," he said.
Do
you have a problem? Is something bothering
you? Write to