Cracking the Code.

Where children are concerned there is nothing I enjoy more than sitting back and watching those wheels turn. It starts when they are newborn, you can see them thinking, figuring it all out, processing. When they get older and can talk about what it is that they have sorted through the way they look at things can be joyous and enlightening. We adults get bogged down with all of the "truths" that we have learned along the way and the possibilities available to us become fewer and fewer. For children, it is all possible and listening to their theories can open our minds once again to the vast limitless world we once knew. One of the most prevalent confinements we place on our selves, and our children is that of time. Most people will tell you that time is an absolute. My own belief is that it is a contrivance. Another topic altogether. We can all agree that learning about time is very important to a child's ability to function in a world obsessed with the whens of it all. Time to get up, time to eat, time to nap, time to snack, time for dinner, time for bed. In a digital world and with my laid back attitude on most things in general, I realized with horror that my 9 year old did not know how to tell time in an analog format. I considered all of the ways in which you generally teach the pre-school set this skill. Puzzles, placemats, coloring sheets, crocodile clocks, etc. All of these seemed a little babyish for him, so we just strapped a watch on his arm. Human beings are information gathering machines. It is truly a wonder to see it in action. Whether it is on weather.com, NPR, or reading our daily horoscope, we are compelled to try to figure out what is going on, and how it will affect us. He spent so much time trying to crack that code, looking at his watch, looking at a digital clock, looking at his watch, noting that it was time for dinner, looking at his watch, and so forth. Within a week, he had figured out what would have taken me months to instill in him at pre-school age. For my part, I was able to just sit back and enjoy watching those wheels turn.

Toy Store Owners Rule!!

I went into Portland last night to Green Frog Toys in the Pearl district in Portland. There I met up with some of the coolest people I know, and they all own toy stores. Pat Fielder who owns Green Frog was there of course. You may be more familiar with her other store, Childs Play that is up on Northwest 23rd. Also present was Eddie who owns Mudpuddles in Sherwood, and her manager Rebecca, Katey and Errol Noel from the Toy Factory in Corvallis, Mary Sissons from Kazoodles in Vancouver, Jen from G Willikers in Hood River, Sherri from Let's Play in Hillsboro, Celia from Frogs and Pollywogs in Albany, Merrick from Piccolo Mondo in Bethany village, and Grammy and Nona from Grammy and Nona's on NE Lombard in Portland. At other events we have entertained Bill from Sandcastle toys in Newport, Stacie from Leapin' Lizards in Bend, and Ty and Joan of Thinker Toys in Multnomah village.

We get together to talk toys, and to see how we are all faring with whatever seems to be at issue currently. This year the economy, last year toy recalls, always stinky diapers, and reviews on new toys. We always come away with new ideas to implement in our own stores. New practices that benefit us and our customers. It is through this practice that many of our stores feel so familiar to our customers when they are traveling from one town to another. Most of us are members of ASTRA which is the American Toys Specialty Retailers Association.

I am able to rely on the experience of the other toy store owners, and bring fresh insight and new ways of doing things in return. We help each other fill customer requests so that we don't need to order a minimum to make our people happy. We learn about new items on the market so we can have the best quality most exciting toys in our stores for our customers. Through my association with them, I have discovered Zoobies, Wheelie Bugs, Play foam, Quirkle, and so many more... it would be silly to list them. I guess my point is that I and my customers are so much better off for my knowing these folks. I can stand on their shoulders and speak with the confidence of having decades of experience behind me. Just wanted to mention the men and women behind the curtain because well, they rock.