The moderately minimalist family said goodbye to Mr. Potato Head this past weekend. Why does Mr. Potato Head make me feel nostalgic? I look at him and I feel all warm and fuzzy. Thanks to Toy Story, I feel a little deeper than I should about some of our toys.
This particular Mr. Potato Head has lived through both of my boys' childhood. He has spent hundreds of nights on our shelf. He has been to VBS 2014. He helped teach both of our boys where eyes are. Where do ears go? What is that thing in the middle of your face that enables you to smell?
Now it is time for our family to pass it on to someone else. As hard as donating it is, I know it is time. It just sits on the shelf now. Nobody plays with him. I checked one last time to make sure my 3 year old had mastered the skill. I handed it to him and asked him to put it together. He gave me a weird look. Put everything where it went. Handed it back to me. Then went back to what he was doing. Yes, time to go.
Letting go of this toy is harder for the mama than the child. Why? It represents the littleness is going away. They are getting older. My 3 year old turns 4 years old in 2 days. My 10 year old is now embarrassed to hug me at the bus stop.
Every toy that they outgrow is a reminder that they won't be little or living with me forever. But hanging onto that toy isn't going to change that. Hanging onto that toy is only going to make it harder to find space for the toys they do play with. Holding onto that toy makes one more thing to pick up when the neighbors come over and dump all the toys on the floor. So out the door he went! Goodbye, Mr. Potato Head!
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