Simple is best

Ava has reached that age when she constantly needs to have a toy in her hands. But she has her own definition of what constitutes a toy. For instance, all those rattles and plush baby playthings pale in comparison to any kind of paper.

Each weekday when I pick Ava up from daycare, I hand her a rattle and she promptly drops it and reaches for her “daily” sheet – the paper the daycare uses to keep me informed about her feedings, naps, and how her day went. If she’s anything like her Mommy, she’s probably checking it for accuracy.

As for the plush toys – the tag is much more interesting to Ava than the toy itself. She seems fascinated by its size, shape and pliability. I’ve given up on taking the toy and re-positioning it in her hands because every time I do, she just turns it back over and starts playing with the tag again.

I suppose I should be grateful that my baby girl is so easily entertained. And perhaps more importantly, I should learn a lesson about all the “things” we parents buy that simply pile up in a toy box!

What lessons have your kids taught you about "things?"

Rachel Raya is director of Internal Stakeholder Communications for Texas Health Resources.