Bracelets are latest fad

As fads go, this one seems fairly harmless. I'm talking about those shaped rubber bands that the kids are wearing as bracelets. I just mailed a small package of them to granddaughter Emma. By the way, if you plan on doing this, you should know that it requires extra postage.
I had hesitated buying the silicone shapes because grandson Jacob is only a year old. My daughter assured me that it was safe to send the package. After all, a boy who plays with live fish probably won't be harmed by a rubber band. Emma is very good at keeping small toys away from him as she has a fondness for those tiny dolls known as Polly Pockets. To my knowledge Jacob hasn't eaten any of those yet.
There seem to be many knock-off brands of the original Silly Bandz as everybody is joining in on the buying frenzy that accompanies any new fad.
Once the novelty wears off, the bands will be sucked up into the sweeper if they aren't hiding in the bottom of a toy box somewhere. Then 50 years or so from now they will be a source of "remember when?"
I don't usually succumb to fads. I never had a Hula Hoop, Ouija board or a lava lamp. The current fads of body piercing and other body "art" make me cringe.
I do admit to once being a fan of baby blue eye shadow and pale pink nail polish. Come to think of it, I was wearing platform shoes when I married Tom. Even with the added height I was still more than a foot shorter than him.
I guess that goes to show that I am not immune to peer pressure. Any good fad has a strong element of peer pressure. It is the old "everybody does/has it" that parents contend with every day.
When I was in my teens "everybody" (or at least all the girls) wore short skirts and had long, straight hair. I can still remember how cold my legs got in the wintertime. It was the price to pay for fitting in.
In addition to peer pressure any good fad is accompanied by a healthy dose of novelty. Any unusual twist on the familiar qualifies as novelty. Create a stuffed doll with a smooshy face, give it a "birth certificate" and it becomes the must-have Cabbage Patch doll. Package a stone, advertise extensively and suddenly everyone must have their own pet rock.
Fads should also cause the older generation to question sanity as in, "Why on earth are you wearing purple eye shadow? Do you want to look like you have been beat up?" Or, "Did you actually PAY someone to do that to your hair?" Or "Why would you buy water that you can get free from a fountain?"
A fad, by definition, is temporary. Most are harmless. A few hang on and become part of everyday life. Pez candies and Frisbees no longer enjoy the immense popularity they once had but they are easy to find in most stores. I would venture a guess that most garages have at least one Frisbee or Frisbee knockoff lurking among the other detritus that ends up there.
I am thankful that this fad is a temporary thing. A package of rubber bands is an inexpensive way to make a little girl smile. I only hope that future fads will be as easy to accept and as harmless as this one. In the meantime, I am searching for an assortment of princess themed bracelets for my little princess and something equally as inexpensive for her brother.[[In-content Ad]]