Mom, I have “amazing news,” my 11-year-old daughter screamed as she ran into my room while I was in the middle of a work call. “The Five Below in Paramus is getting a Squishmallow shipment tonight!” If you’re the mom of a kid who’s been calling every single Five Below, Learning Express and Claire’s within a 20-mile radius asking if they have any Squishmallows, which ones, how many of each, how much and what is the max purchase per person, you are not alone.
My daughter has had her share of obsessions over the years: American Girl dolls, Shopkins, LOL dolls, Roblox (anyone else still buying Robux?), Harry Potter and Minecraft anything and everything. But this Squishmallow obsession is different thanks in large part to the countless Tik Tok videos showing people of all ages on the hunt for these squishable, huggable plush pals that sell out within hours of being restocked on store shelves.
Obsessions like these have their pros and cons and if your kid is anything like mine, I’m sure you can relate to this list:
Pro: It’s a plus when your kid is obsessed with something that doesn’t revolve around hours and hours of video game playing.
Con: It’s not so awesome when your kids’ obsession inspires hours and hours of their life they can never get back watching Tik Tok videos of kids and adults Squishmallow shopping at Target and Walmart.
Pro: Your kids will pick up excellent reporting and telephone skills after calling so many stores. Rumor has it the staffers at Learning Express spend half their day on the phone with 10-year-olds answering detailed questions about their inventory. I’m sure you can guess how they feel about this trend.
Con: She’ll spend all her birthday and allowance money on Squishmallows instead of say, books, puzzles or educational games.
Pro: Many Squishmallows are affordable and sell for $5 a piece at Five Below.
Con: Sites like Mercari are reselling rare Squishmallows for double and triple their face value. My daughter used her birthday money to buy a discontinued Squishmallow for $30. The birthday money is all gone now and her bed is filled with Squishmallows.
Pro: Your kids will become experts at bargaining. They’ll bargain with friends to make trades and nag, ahem bargain, with you about what they’ll do to earn another Squishmallow. Let’s just say I’ve caved in exchange for extra dog walks and a promise to keep all dirty laundry in its rightful home–a $5 investment can go a long way.
Con: Said asking, nagging and questioning can be relentless. Just say no on repeat.
My daughter now has an impressive collection she’s invested all her holiday and birthday money into which can only mean one thing. She’ll soon drop this obsession like a hot potato and we’ll be left with a bag of Squishmallows collecting dust in the attic by summer only to make way for the next viral Tik Tok trend.