Thank You Rainbow Loom

Not my kid. But it could be.

I am going to admit something shameful, something that is going to make all the mommy bloggers out there cringe. But I think it is high time for me to be honest, to own up to the truth, despite the terrible backlash I am sure it is going to cause. 

I love that Rainbow Loom.

Yeah, you read that correctly. And no, it is not sarcasm. And before you wonder if perhaps I have been mixing the vodka with the coffee this morning, I will tell you that I am making this statement while fully awake and alert. (Well as much as one could be at 8am on a Tuesday.) 

Listen, I read all your blogs. I completely understand about the tiny rubber band explosions all over the living room floor. I too have experienced the Starburst meltdown. I also wake up in the middle of the night with the voice of that You Tube video girl stuck in my head like a bad 80's song. But before you crucify me, before you toss me out of the mommy club like bad cheese, please listen to what I have to say.

I love that Rainbow Loom. Honestly. And here is why:

1. My daughter loves these bracelets and can mostly do them herself. Not only that, but the elaborate process with which she goes through in order to make one fascinates me. Step one, get loom, hook, and box of rubber bands. Step two, borrow mommy's laptop. Step three, go to rainbowloom.com/instructions and pick the bracelet she would like to try. Step three, pause and play the video over and over while figuring out how to first attach the rubber bands and then loop them to make a fancy woven bracelet. The only thing I ever need to do is tie them all together when she is done and rescue the occasional escapee. (That rubber band that slips off in the middle and you have to recreate the whole pattern in your head to figure out where it goes.)  

She is only 6 years old and she does all this.
When I was 6, I drew pictures. And did the occasional cartwheel. 
So, I'm impressed. 

2. The advanced bracelets are challenging enough for me to enjoy too. They are like solving a puzzle, or completing a level in Candy Crush. I once spent 45 minutes on something called "Flower Power." Completing these things is truly satisfying. 

When they are correct, anyway.
You know when you work for half an hour on a bracelet and then when you go to remove it from the loom, the whole thing falls to pieces? And then the cursing and crying happens? Yeah, the cursing and crying is me. My six year old just says, "Oh well, I'll try it again." I could learn a thing or two about patience from her.

3. It is something for us to do together. Now to be fair, my daughter and I do a lot of things together. But the bracelet thing is something we both actually enjoy. As opposed to some of the other games (school and dance show come to mind) which I only play because they make her happy. Maya and I have spent many winter hours under a fuzzy blanket, attaching rubber bands to our looms. (We have two.) 

Recently one of my friends taught us how to needlepoint. So now, instead of bracelets, occasionally my daughter and I can be found sewing pictures of butterflies and rainbows with colored yarn. 

Who knew I was so crafty?

Last night, before bed,  my little Maya made this comment: "Mama, we have not had any trouble on Mondays in a long time."

Thank you Rainbow Loom. 
Thank you for making my daughter happy.

Thank you for making it so I no longer have to play multiple games of Sorry.

Thank you for allowing me to sit on the couch instead of "Get on up and dance dance."

Thank you for the giant Ziplock bag full of colorful bracelets that Maya picks from every morning. (And lets be honest, me too. I have one for every outfit. )

Thank you for cozy, quiet family time.

Thank you for the teachable moments. (Like when the dog jumps on the couch and causes Maya to lose the band she was currently holding and now she can't find it and I am busy trying to cook dinner and she needs another blue rubber band and mommycanyouhelpmehelpmeHELPMENOW!)

Ok, maybe not that.

But everything else is good.

Listen mommies, I am with you on that Ki Lan thing. She's annoying. (And why is Rintoo always hitting people??) I support your right to ban tiny Legos from your carpets. I too shudder when the "lice notice" comes home in my kid's homework folder. 

But I like the Rainbow Loom.

Please forgive me.

(In the interest of full disclosure, my daughter would like you to know that she does not in fact own a "Rainbow Loom". She has a "Crazy Loom" and a "Royal Loom". And despite the scary warnings on rainbowloom.com, both work fine and have not chopped her fingers off. Yet.)