So long, Bouncy Castle, we hardly knew ya

Last Christmas we bought my niece and nephews an Inflatable Bouncy Castle to enjoy in the comfort and safety of their own back yard.

It was instantly a huge hit. Jacksonville, FL weather is moderate year-round (although very hot in the summer), so it seemed like a good investment at less than $200 - one that they'd get plenty of use out of before it broke. Well today I was informed that it was broken. Apparently a very large hole developed near the seam and it has been deemed unrepairable.

My sister emailed me to break the bad news, but she was terrified to do so as she thought I'd be furious. I harp on her and her boyfriend about appreciating the value of things and about taking care of things that have value - not just monetary value, but sentimental value as well. Unfortunately, my sister still struggles with this concept so anything I contribute to her house, be it kids toys or anything else, is destined to be destroyed before it should be.

Here's the thing... I'm not mad that the castle got damaged. It happens. Between kids and dogs and bad weather and carelessness due to chaos, these things happen. I don't feel like that $200 was wasted as I know the kids got some enjoyment from it in the 7 months they've had it and that's worth more than anything I can attach a dollar amount to.

See for yourself!


Stef & Toby breaking in the Bouncy Castle from auntlaur on Vimeo.

I want, more than anything in the world, for my sister and niece and nephews to be happy. Those kids don't have the best day-to-day life, but they are great kids and I love them with all my heart and do whatever I can to bring smiles to their faces whenever possible. It's hard to justify spending anything more than nominal amounts on things that make them smile, though, when I know in my heart those things won't last long.

I can't blame the kids because, well, they're kids! Stefanie is a few months shy of 7, Toby turns 2 next month and Dylan is only 8 months old! I hate to blame my sister because I know she means well and she has a pretty tough life herself... she's a single mom who works full time for not enough money, while raising 3 kids and trying to complete her bachelors degree via her college's online program. I can understand why house keeping, bouncy castle protecting and yard tending take a lower priority than getting through the day in with everyone in one piece. Her boyfriend (father of Toby & Dylan) contributes to the household financially, although his income isn't great either, and although there are many things I dislike about him, and we've had a very rocky relationship in the past due to reasons I won't go into here, I will give him credit for working hard now to keep things from falling apart. If he keeps up the hard work and continues to bust his ass to help support his family, I'll continue to cut him some slack.

Meanwhile, the Bouncy Castle is off to landfill and I will just have to think of something fun and perhaps non-inflatable to replace it with. Stay tuned!