What's not to love about the Dollar Tree

This morning I was congratulating myself on being the smartest mom around thanks to the Dollar Tree. Max and Olivia both reached some goals we set at home, and as a reward we took a shopping spree. What's not to love about a store where you can take your children inside and tell them in your most effusive voice, "You can choose one of anything in here you want!" Those children look at you with amazement and think that you must be the best parent in the universe. And they proceed to comb the toy aisle for the perfect item, excitedly helping eachother when they spot something that they think that the other would really like. After our selections are made we confidently walk to the register--all of us unburdened by the time and effort it takes in most stores to search out an item on clearance, or by the debate about why we cannot buy the one at full price. And we all leave happy.

And then we come home to open these new treasures, their value seemingly much increased thanks to the trouble-free, begging-free, cost-concerned-free shopping experience, until within 10 minutes of both are coming to me saying, "Mom, can you fix this piece that broke off?"

Darn that Dollar Tree!! Well, at least Max's new truck still rolls around without the little plastic piece on top, and so far Olivia doesn't exactly mind that the mermaid's fin is now held on by scotch tape. Talk to me in another 10 minutes to find out what else has broken off by then.

Next time, I'm just handing out dum-dum suckers....including one for myself.