Responsible Collecting
People can and do collect almost anything. There is happiness to adding a new find to a collection and excitement to share your collection with other collectors.
To most parents a child's room is full of clutter but to a child collecting is a stimulating exercise creating a world of their own. It also helps children socially to bond with thier peers with a similar interest.
In the world of Beanie Boo's in our household I try to teach my children the value of money and that each toy costs money. I often ask them to pay out of their own savings to help teach them about saving, doing chores, budgeting and above all for me...patience! I want my children to be appreciative and grateful and if this small exercise helps them to become better people in the world I feel like I'm achieving something as a parent. Plus each addition becomes more special and meaningful to them giving them a sense of pride and ownership of their collection :)
