The Ben10, KinderJoys and my Kids

Time has changed. No! To put it right, things have changed over time. Recall back those childhood days and most of us will be taken into the flashbacks of a countryside. Myself, having been born and raised in the far-flung places of the easternmost part of the country, access to any of the fancy toys were not even thought of. Forget about the current day battery operated toys, handful of marbles would be my  prized possession. PET bottles,  rubber bands, wooden cars, bhaktang ball (a ball made out of torn socks), jerry can caps and the likes would make its way into my toy-box. Yet, I would be contended and play all day long with this locally improvised toys. And to sweeten our mouth, all that we could get was a glucose biscuit and orange sweets.

Talking of today's kids, they are way beyond one can ever fathom their wish list. They nag and pester until their wants and desires are fulfilled. It is one ordeal to compromise against their wishes. At one time, my elder son sat down right on the floor of one of the shops in Thimphu and cried out loud on the mere mention of not buying the toy he wished. All I could do was to surrender to his demand, feeling a little embarrassed infront of the confused crowd.

If you are a parent like me, Ben10 and Kinderjoy would not be greek words anymore. This anime and the chocolate egg has definitely cast a spell on my kids.
The Ben10 characters have rapidly diffused into every form of their lives. They live in the wonder-world. All they demand is jackets, shirts, caps, bags, slippers, shoes, socks, watches and so on with the Ben10 imprint on it. To make the matter worst, these cloths and footwears with the Ben10 characters are unusually priced higher than the ordinary ones. Everyone makes hay while the sun shines.
Kinderjoy is yet another attraction of my kids that sucks stream of cash over time. Priced at Nu. 30 a piece, all that you get is two small chocolate-balls and a worthless toy wrapped inside the shell. The fact that the toys are hidden inside the plastic shell makes it all the while curious for the kids to be wanting for more, with the hope of getting a better toy each time they get.

Despite all these disparity, I flaunt about my kids, in the fact that, they know much more than I have seen and known at their age. My four year son gleefully inserts the password on my iPad with his tiny little hands and the next few hours he gets deeply engaged in exploring the wonders of this gadget.