The Gobble Monster

Like all parents, we have toy issues....and back when Esther was small (tiny baby) I had enough! Then I found a story (IN A PARENTING MAGAZINE) about the gobble monster, a toy eating creature that comes out at night and eats toys that are left out by my kids. So I decided that it sounded like a good.... NO GREAT idea, so the story was told and the children believed it..... for a short time...... It was mostly my fault I got lazy and stopped picking up the toys (I stopped being able to see them). I still used the threat but by this time my 6 year old turning 7 got wise to the idea. She then told the rest of the kids that Mom was just joking and that there was no gobble monster.
(I informed her in private that if she did that again, I would tell her the truth about Santa)

So while shopping at the DI I found a Shel Silverstein book "falling up". As a kid these book were my favorite's. I was so excited to find one of these books and for $2 dollars! Hard cover, with the protective cover and everything! ( I am now looking for where the sidewalk ends, a light in the attic, the giving tree, the runny babbit, don't bump the glump and so on...they make great gifts....hint hint...)

Any who, while reading my new book.....I mean a new book I bought for the kids.....I found the the story of the toy eater. I read it to them.....they are now convinced that it is true....

"if its in a book and its gots a picture, it wereal, wright Mom?" Said Hannah.

" I told you....he must been on vacation or something...or maybe he thought you guys were doing so good that he didn't need to eat your toys...But he is back and he shows no mercy when he has to come back, he probably will start taking backpacks, shoes, coats, HOMEWORK...."
as I look at my 7 year old....who has this nasty habit of leaving out her homework and then amazingly our 2 year decides to eat it or something...
So for now OUR Gobble monster is in full effect....AND I Just thought you should know that a few things have been eaten.... but so far.... all is well!

Funny side note: Hannah informed me that parents too can have there stuff eaten by the gobble monster, and that I should go put my shoes in my closet, right away.......

Leave it up to Hannah....to "INFORM ME"

The Toy Eater
by Shel Silverstein

You don’t have to pick up your toys, okay?
You can leave ‘em right there on the floor,
So tonight when the Terrible Toy-Eatin’ Tookle ( which we remove tookle and add in gobble monster)
Comes tiptoein’ in through the crack in the door,
He’ll crunch all your soldiers,
he’ll munch on your trucks,
He’ll chew your poor puppets to shreds,
He’ll swallow your Big Wheel
and slurp up your paints
And bite off your dear dollies’ heads.
Then he’ll wipe off his lips with the sails of your ship,
And making a burpity noise,
He’ll slither away—but hey,
that’s okay,
You don’t have to pick up your toys.