Bear Negotiates

Bear has had an awesome parents' evening and last week he was in the Special Book.  Both things are normally well rewarded.  He is negotiating for some fancy rubik's cubes as a joint reward for both.  I keep pointing out that he hasn't managed to do the one he has got.  Bear magnificently ignores that and sweeps on about some stuff that he has picked up from YouTube.  He is asking for something that would cost £22.90.  This is on the generous side of our normal rewards, and will also leave us short of ideas for Christmas and birthday presents.

The worry about Christmas and birthday presents is actually becoming quite real.  He will, of course, get a large quantity of books.  About the middle of November, when a particularly promising sale from the Book People is on, I shall order a large consignment.  I shall probably include an adult colouring book as he seems quite intrigued by those.  There will be sweeties.  After that - who knows?  He has a room full of stuff.  I couldn't buy him pens, pencils or crayons as he has more than many stationers.  He has boxes full of toy figures and games.  There is the expectation of what others in his class will have and already have and also, as he reaches nine years old a few days after Christmas, he is in the gap between young toys and teenage electronics.  Not having the rubik's cubes as part of the presents will leave a hole.

We are tentatively considering the theoretical possibility of perhaps maybe getting bear a very inexpensive and probably second hand tablet type thing.  I'm not sure about that either.  A lot of his friends have games consoles.  It's an odd mix in the playground between those with a lot of money and those who I have seen not have enough money to buy a pint of milk.  Both ends of the spectrum push towards the kids having consoles.  Some from Brighthouse or CEX, others from PC world or Amazon.  We don't want bear to have a console.  Bear is negotiating hard to have one.

At the time of typing it is 62 days to Christmas.  Then four days later it is bear's birthday.  That is a lot of time for bear to negotiate.  I'm not betting against him.

Wean - I am definitely considering the rag thing, especially as well washed sheets and duvet covers rip along the grain so beautifully.  If I try it I shall share.