“Daddy?”
“What’s up Hun?”
“Can I get a fidget spinner?”
She finally got around to asking for a fidget spinner. This question was a “when” issue, not an “if” issue. I knew this moment would come.
I let loose with a resigned sigh and smiled. “You’ve earned the allowance. Sure.”
“Yay!”

I’ve been noticing these things, these fidget spinners on my news feeds for a while now. I think it has nearly run its course. Stage one: you see nothing but fidget spinners everywhere you look. Stage two: you start seeing memes and videos making fun of fidget spinners. Stage three: Danger! Headlines about the dangers of the toy start appearing, kids getting maimed or worse. My favorite article was titled “Warning: Throw Away All Fidget Spinners: Authorities Confirm New Report That They Can Kill Your Child”
Authorities? Which Authorities? Oh! We have an anti-lead-poisoning activist, or advocate. They lost me at “activist”. Activists, to me, are folks who have gone so far and so deep into their agendas that the agenda has changed into a vendetta. Activists find problems everywhere, whether the problem is real or not. That and they can really ruin the mood of a party.
Snopes destroyed that article about the dangers. Buy it from a reputable retailer. Use common sense. Got it. Moving on…
Once this cycle of delight, followed by mockery, finished off with fear runs its course, the whole thing reaches altitude and planes out.
I think it has reached its altitude. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a fidget spinner on the internet.

“Next time we’re in the city, and we have the time, we’ll hit the toy store and get you one. Okay?”
“Thank you Daddy!”

We ran a few errands in town that afternoon. She was being a little sweetheart. I shrugged, “why not?” I thought. We went to the toy store.
“Hi there! Anything I can help you with today?”
“Hi! Yes I can use some help. I’m looking for a…fidget spinner?”
His eyes widened. “Try customer service.”
“Uhm, okay then. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Oh…and good luck!”
(Good luck?)
We approached customer service, “Hi there! Can I help you sir?”
(Sir…ugh) “Yes, I was sent over here for a fidget spinner.”
His eyes widened just like the other guy. He looked under the counter and pulled one out. “This is the last one we have.”
“No kidding?”
“Not kidding, and it was returned only an hour ago.”
“Wow. Well we’ll take it. Thanks!”
“No problem…sir.”
(stop that!)
Lydia was delighted. When we got back to the Manivan, I opened it up for her, hmm. Some assembly required, that center spindle thing needs to get snapped together. There! All done. I gave it a quick spin before handing it back to Lyd. I must admit, I found that there was something kind of satisfying about spinning that thing. Interesting. I might give it another spin after Lyd goes to bed tonight.

I tend to question this whole “fidget” part of the fidget spinner phenomenon. I’ve heard claims that it can help children with attention issues. I’m sure there are children who have been helped by this thing, and if that’s what it takes, then so be it! But does it “help” by merely being something else for a kid to focus on? Is it more of a displacement device rather than a device to help someone focus? I also really only see it being a distraction for everyone around the spinner. In some circumstances, I can easily see this thing as being rude choice. For example, playing with it while getting a lecture about playing with it.
It’s a toy. Can we all just call it what it is? It’s a toy, and there’s nothing wrong with that claim!

She’s in bed, I’m going to give this thing another spin. Oooh! I really got it going this time.

I’ve heard all sorts of grown-ups complain about these things as well. “What does it do?” “All you do is spin it?” “Seriously, the kids are doing tricks with these things? What kinds of tricks? “It spins!”

Dang! Lydia’s fidget spinner is still going over here! How many ball bearings are in this thing?

Where was I? Oh yeah…spinning. Yup! That’s all it does is spin. Once upon a time there was a generation of grown-ups who had pretty much identical thoughts about yo-yos and hula hoops.
But Brooks! Yo-yos are a classic American toy!
Oh come on! You cannot possibly criticize the fidget spinner and then turn around to defend the yo-yo. Seriously people! You all do realize that once upon a time, the yo-yo was not a classic American toy?
Every generation of children ends up loving a “stupid” toy that seems to be designed with the sole intention of driving the parents crazy.

Well, it finally slowed to a stop. I guess I better give this thing another spin…

Because every generation has been blessed (or cursed) with a “stupid” toy that seems to only do one thing, I simply resigned myself to this longstanding historical pattern. She was allowed to get the toy. Plus, it brings her joy! That, to me, is the ultimate benchmark of a great toy. Does it bring her joy? She enjoys playing with it, she enjoys playing with it along with all of her friends and their own fidget spinners. It’s fine, everything is fine. Someday she might have kids playing with their generation’s version of the hula hoop/yo-yo/fidget spinner and if she finds the toy irritating, I’ll give her a benevolent reminder of these days.
I better wrap this up, her spinner is slowing to a stop. I’m thinking of breaking out the stopwatch and finding out just how long this thing can spin. I’ll need both hands this time if I want to get a good fast spin started. While it’s spinning, I might go look up fidget spinner tricks on Youtube, because…I bet Lyd would love it.
Silly toy…