Life is full of sundry joys and challenges. That's what gives it the depth and texture we find so familiar and, ultimately, rewarding. Read along as one of our PK staffers reflects on becoming a parent and how she accepts help wherever she finds it, even in a junk drawer.
I Don't Have Enough Hands
The phrase echoes in my mind: I don't have enough hands. I remember my Dad laughing as he muttered the phrase and walked from the car to our back door. His arms were roped with plastic grocery bags and fisted hands were full of brown paper fast food bags. A foot shot out behind him to swing the car door shut. He quickly moved to the back door with his weighed down arms, in a hurry to get there before anything fell. Which thing to sit down so he could unlock the door? - the drink in his left hand? the crumpled bags in his right? - if only he had another hand.
My dad would say that becoming a parent meant learning to unload the car in one trip - while holding the baby, the hand of a toddler, and all the junk. After parenting for several years, I have learned that maybe I should just take two trips (unless it's raining).
Treasures in a Junk Drawer
Parents need more hands. Obviously, I cannot grow extra hands but there are all sorts of little ways I try and help myself out on a daily basis. I recently took my kids on a trip to the Zoo. My youngest is still small enough to need a stroller, but not the enormous kind with a huge basket. Instead, we just take a light foldable stroller which leaves no place for any extras. I packed our lunches, sunscreen, and diapers in my backpack. It was a hot day and we needed to bring water, but the bottles wouldn't fit - I wouldn't have enough hands to hold water bottles! I rummaged through my junk drawer and grabbed a few carabiners I keep around. I clipped the water bottles to my bag and sighed with relief that we were finally on our way.
Endless Possibilities
I keep my car keys on a bright blue (my favorite color) carabiner engraved with the logo and phone number from a Dentist's office. It made me think of our pediatric dentist (who we all love) and what kind of promotional products they use. Carabiners are so useful! I genuinely hold on to every one that comes my way, and I bet other parents do, too.
Over the years I have seen order after order of carabiners from brand new businesses and from places that have been around for 25 years. We get repeat orders from customers and their patrons who really use our products. I always loved the carabiner clipped on to a banana shaped container - a banana saver! For your half eaten banana. What a fun idea. Or to hold a kid’s retainer case (I might be needing some of those in the future!) so the retainer and the case stay together and hopefully don’t end up in the trash. One of our oldest customers, babygooroo, orders large batches of carabiners in delicate custom colors to exactly match their baby soft products. There are so many different ways to use carabiners, and we have so many different kinds!
I am a practical parent, so I keep carabiners around. It may not be another hand, but it can be a big help. Customers will keep your carabiners around, too, and maybe call you next time they need your product.
