Lots of love but less booty for baby
The New York Times this week carried an article on a trend toward less consumerism when it comes to shopping for baby in these tough economic times.
It notes that the $343-million “play and discover” market — toys and goods marketed to parents of children under a year old — has fallen by more than a third over the last year and a half.
I like this observation: “Some analysts are surprised at how quickly new parents have begun to wise up,” it reads.
I’m sure many Durango-area parents have been snapping up second-hand baby gear since long before the recession because of the savings but also to reduce their environmental footprint. But it’s nice to know that chichi New Yorkers are doing the same. I’ve often wondered at the sense in buying a $880 Bugaboo stroller when the $50 one we’ve used through two kids works just fine. And second-hand baby gear is easy to find because, as we all know, they don’t stay babies for long. Durango’s many thrift stores are a great place to look as is Durango’s Freecycle group.
The question is, will the shift to second-hand stick? “This new frugality is celebrated by anti-consumerism groups, dreaded by retailers, and mused over by social scientists who say we might be on the cusp of raising a new generation of depression-era babies,” the article states.
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