The serious business of silly bandz

I knew this whole silly bandz insanity was serious business when my daughter lost one in the pool and acted like someone had just cut off her arm.

Thankfully, I discovered that silly bandz do, in fact, float (eat your heart out, Mythbusters!), and after scouring the entire pool for a 20 cent light pink rubber band shaped like a fairy, all was again right with the world.

Oh the things you will do for your children.

Now I wasn't actually aware that this was a national craze until a few days ago when I decided that we'd give them out as the party favors for my daughter's in-school summer birthday party celebration.

Yes, we must not forget to throw the all important school party for those poor children whose parents decided to do it in September or October and screw them out of a birthday celebration. Seriously, that's why I LOVE the damn July birthday. No party at some jumping palace of germs and doom with 30 school friends required.

But alas, I signed up for "prizes" and figured that because my daughter comes home with a new silly band almost every single day, they'd make a better prize than the bags of sugar or kazoos.

So silly bandz it was.

Mommy is brilliant! Mommy is the coolest! Mommy has no freaking clue what she just got herself into because silly bandz are a national craze and no one seems to actually be able to keep them in stock!

Well, except for suburban Atlanta, who has several stores, including two that start with "Wal" (ahem) and by 10am yesterday morning, we were fully stocked with 100 knock-off silly bandz. Or "character" bandz. Yeah, whatever. They're bright rubber bands shaped like dinosaurs and cars. I'm not doing some silicone sniff test and color analysis to make sure they are the real damn thing.

I have to say that I was a little disappointed that they were so easy to find because I was ready to knock some little bitches down for those things. Or at least pay out the nose for a bag of rubber bands.

On sale? 2 packs for $5? WTF!

Lord knows I'm willing to fight for the right to support my daughter's participation in a ridiculous trend. Well, so long as I don't get any more holes in my distressed light wash jeans and stains on my maternity romper.

Comments

[hummy]

what the fergie? I love them !my mom is buying me some this weekend!!

[Silly bandz]

I am surprised you were able to find that amount of silly bandz. Most stores are out.

So how did the birthday party go?

[Jaelithe]

Sometimes you make me happy that I live in a state that is even more backwater than Georgia (no serious offense meant to Georgia). I'm all like, Silly Whatitz? I had to look them up. I don't think there's a kid on my entire street who has one. (And yes, I know all the kids on my street. Every one.)

Ahhhh, the Midwest.

[Suzanne]

Silly bandz the all important status symbol at my son's school(he's 6), I agree with all reminds me of the jell bracelet craze! We went to four stores yesterday until finally at an Office Max (of all places) we found them. There was almost a meltdown over this-what we do for our kids!
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[Aileen]

Silly bandz.. I have spent so much money on those crappy little rubber bands.. now they are all over the house.. my seven year old has like 40..

[Motherhood Uncensored]

LSM - I honor your bravery in sharing that tidbit of information.

[Fairly Odd Mother]

I saw a little girl in the toy store with about 100 on each arm. I said something innocent like, "oooo, look at your silly bandz" and her mom said that she had to remind her daughter to take them off at night b/c they were cutting off her circulation. Seriously, just wait until the first report of "Gangrene caused by Silly Bandz" is reported on the news. It's bound to happen.

(and have you noticed they are everywhere? like ants. Just keep your eyes on the ground when you walk around and you'll find one every time you go out)

[LSM]

I actually owned, wore, and loved my maternity romper during my first and second pregnancies, circa 1994 and 1996. I wore stirrup pants too, but so did everyone else. It wasn't pretty people!

[Allison Cook]

My school in Orlando, FL just banned silly bands for their "sexual connotations." Seriously.

[Yvonne]

Good to know I'm not the only parent with crazed children. I'm with Emily and thinking this like totally reminds me of the jelly bracelets. Almost to the point at which seeing teen boys wearing them brings on the Corey Haim and Corey Feldman flashbacks.

[Jenny]

Love that link. I'd totally forgot about those. I was also thinking of the Jelly Bracelets! I feel like I'm old and out of the loop, my five year old doesn't know about silly bandz. I'm scarring her already! We are so not in the know. Crap!

[Karen (SubMommy)]

Oooh.

Feelin' really grateful that right now those have yet to make the scene in the Life Of Girl.

Shhh. And hide them, will ya?

[Rachel]

Ugh. Silly Bandz. Ridiculous. My stepson has at least 200, and my daughter doesn't care about them. For now...

[Issa]

I wish I'd heard that you needed them about a month ago. I got tired of picking them out of my Roomba, so I gathered them all up and tossed them. My girls were pretty done with them anyway.

I bet I threw out 65 of those suckers. Who needs 65 Silly Bandz? I guess my girls thought they did. Hmm, come to think of it, remember the slap bracelets? I bet I had at least that many of those.

[Motherhood Uncensored]

Emily - Actually, the silly bandz remind me more of these:

http://i-love-my-80s-toys.popsugar.com/Plastic-Charm-Necklaces-526041

[Emily]

Does this not take anyone else back to the "jelly bracelet" craze of the 80's?

And that link? Priceless!

[sara tyas]

ok- that link at the end almost made me pee my pants.... on the silly bandzzzz note. i, too, am i atlanta and spent 3 effing days looking for those things. and god forbid one break. i literally had to stitch one back together with a needle and thread.

[Jo]

Ahaha, I was like, "what the HELL is a maternity romper??!" Good one.

[Melisa Wells]

My son (15yo) wears these also, and I just found out how "in style" he is. Apparently he got his at one of the WALs (the smaller one). It's a cheaper trend than many others, so I'm happy! :)