Thomas the Tank Engine

[Elaine]

It's happened. After 3 years of fighting, refusing and denial, Thomas the Tank Engine has invaded our house. I've asked and asked that nothing Thomas be given to Ben because I didn't want to deal with it. Even that couldn't stop the phenomenon/obsession. :sigh:

Now everything is Thomas. He wants to watch it on TV, play on my computer, everything he sees anywhere that's Thomas he "needs!". :rolleyes:

Before you think I'm cruel, the reason I haven't wanted Thomas in our house is because I've seen what the obsession does to kids and I flat our refuse to pay upwards of $20 for one small, wooden train. I didn't want to deal with meltdowns in stores that sell the trains because we won't buy them. I'm sure I could find them somewhere like eBay for a lot less but I don't have time to dick around with the bidding etc. nor do I want to spend the time doing it.

Blah. We did our best but it just wasn't enough... :hehe:

[lilbunnygirl]

That's why we only allow the Take Along line, the trains are like $4-$12 each. The wooden ones are insane!

But yeah, the Thomas obsession is a strong one. And the dvds don't help, some of them show other products, like a $250 train table that SOMEONE had a screaming meltdown over wanting and promptly got that particular dvd taken away FOREVER

[Heather]

Haha! Oh well, it could be worse. It could be Sponge Bob! Lol Cohen does love Thomas but not nearly as much as he loves Lightnin' McQueen. I refuse to buy clothing with characters on it (other than undies). Refuse!!

[Elaine]

It wouldn't bother me so much if they weren't so expensive. Anything with a character on it is expensive and it ticks me off.

In the grand scheme of things it could be a whole lot worse than Thomas. It's amazing that kids can remember ALL the trains. The stories are innocent and generally have good meaning behind them. There's nothing bad about them except the price.

Ahhhh.... Commercialization at it's best. ;)

[Mama Sandy]

I'm "old school" because with my boys it was Power Rangers :hehe:

I refuse to buy clothing with characters on it (other than undies). Refuse!!

I am the same!! Shoes too!

[emilade]

Ah, Thomas just hit our house this weekend, too. Sneak attack. My SIL sent Mike home from their house with a HUGE box of all those wooden trains and tracks, and some DVDs. I told Mike "Uh... I already served my time with this when I babysat my nephew for two years..." :lol:

They want the trains back in a couple of years. But hey, I guess this is the cheapest way to let Brendon develop an obsession. There's so many in this box that there is absolutely no excuse for me to have to buy a dang thing :hehe:

[theWrap]

To be fair, the wooden trains and tracks last forever - my co-worker went through it with his sons, the oldest of whom is now a high school junior, and the youngest of whom is a 4th grader, and all of their stuff and the train table is in such good shape, they're saving it for their grandchildren.

Also, Woot.com often has awesome deals. Almost all of our Thomas tracks/destinations came from Woot.

AND - Sam has learned A LOT from his Thomas obsession when it comes to going shopping. He has learned that if we go to buy one train, it means he must pick out ONE and only one. He has also learned that wanting a train doesn't mean he's going to get it -- and that he can want something that he won't get for a long time, like his next birthday or Christmas.

All that being said, I'm sorry the obsession has hit your house, too.

[Jojo]

Matthew loves Thomas now too! Luckily he's still too small to scream in stores for toys (only when he sees a ball.)

He loves the Thomas train table at the doctors and we are hitting up a yard sale next Saturday to see if we can get one for his room. I think I'd rather Thomas said Elmo or another annoying character!

[Ashley]

Luckily Tyler was never a big Thomas fan. He has a train table and all, but it didn't have to be Thomas. Cars, now that's a different story :rolleyes: