Sharing Swag

[+Team Tecmage]

When McDonald's had the Sega games as McToys, I found myself eating a few Happy Meals to collect some. Tracy and I have thirteen that we are going to either place in one of our upcoming caches, or place as trade items in caches. (Given the weather, we'll probably be using hand, foot, and pocket warmers as trade items.)

 

I was leaning toward placing them all in one of our caches at one time. That idea went south when another cacher posted that they take their kids caching, and wouldn't be able to trade for just one. I think the comment was something like they couldn't make one child happy and deny the others.

 

My question is do people still teach their children to share? Tracy and I have one, and want another, so sharing is definitely high on the "Home Training" List. We have kicked around ideas for some themed caches, and their contents are not going to be cheap. I don't want to waste time placing a nice cache that's going to be empty in a week.

[+Renegade Knight]

Stagger the good stuff. Once placed you have no control over your cache and the trades. People will trade it down faster than you believe.

 

One additional thought. How can you tell one kid they can trade for a game and not the other? I guess you could go for a "group" trade if you have the time patience and energy to let them work out the details at the top of their lungs. Come to think of it they all normally like the same item anyway and that's how it always works out.

 

Nothing like siblings.

Edited December 13, 2003 by Renegade Knight

[+CO Admin]

I would think that most parents teach their children to share. I also know that different parents handle things like toys and caching swag differently. As a parent of 3 I suggest you do what you feel is best for the way you raise your child. The finder and their children will handle the receiving end on their own according to their family rules.

 

Just my opinion

 

Michael

[+gallahad]

Having raised two, both of whom were taught to share, I wish you the best of luck (and the utmost patience) in your worthy goal.

 

We found that, along with learning to share, each child also expressed a need to have control over something that was exclusively theirs - something not shared. Striking the balance was not an easy task. It was easier when each of them had a similar item (like their individual bicycles) which reduced their interest in the item belonging to the other.

 

Regarding your cache goodies. Your post leads me to believe that you are thoughful and generous people. There are many geocachers out there who share your standards.

But there are also those among us who will trade down (as previously mentioned) your cache in a very short time. That "real world" fact should raise a yellow flag and give you cause to spread the good stuff around and let the finder make the choice with respect to who shares what with whom.

Edited December 13, 2003 by gallahad

[+Sparky-Watts]

One pile of gold brings joy for that one moment; 10 piles of gold bring 10 different joys.

[+nincehelser]

As a parent of two, I have absolutely no advice, other than maybe asking your Dr. for a supply of Xanax.

 

There are so may variables involved. Age differences, boys vs. girls, personalities, that sort of thing.

 

In my case, it isn't what's being traded that's important, but just that they each trade something. My older one has finally gotten to the point where he usually realizes the trade isn't a big deal, but the other one, 4 years younger, is still hung up on it.

 

I feel sorry for the poor folks who have twins that just happen to want to trade for the same item. Luckily, the age difference has prevented me from facing that dilemma.

 

Still, I expect them to compare their Christmas-present count in a few weeks.

 

George

[+wray_clan]

I'm a kid, and its a very rare occasion that I'll see something that I really want in a cache. Besides, most of the time, its just me and my dad, and if we see something cool, we just take it and leave something else.

 

One time, we were caching and we met six or seven fathers all with their 5-7 aged children. I think they all took and left one item (& one of the dads logged it all, in the book). It was incredible. They came prepared and left happy.