I had an essay to write last night but instead found myself sitting cross-legged on the tile next to our dining room table, watching a YouTube video on how to make the zippy chain bracelet for Rainbow Loom so that my distraught daughter could move on with life.
It’s the fact that twice a day since we bought this thing, the world spins out of control when, after forty minutes of tediously weaving A-bands over B-bands to make the Starburst Double Fishtail or whatever the hell you call it, my poor kid goes to pull her bracelet off the loom and the whole thing falls apart because of one rubber band that slipped a hook. And then I have to go in with special ops to fix it but can’t because—as Lainey so kindly points out—“you don’t even know what a triple single is.”
I am now Zippy Chain Mom which I’m pretty sure makes up for every time I’ve ever forgotten to bring juice boxes to the park. And while I jokingly bemoan the Rainbow Loom’s effects in our home, I’m secretly smiling. My kid is having fun making stuff. We’re equipped with jewelry for the next six years. And, twenty years from now, we’ll be sitting around the table telling childhood stories and, like the woven nylon potholder tales our parents tell from when we were kids, someone will pipe up with, “Hey, remember that Rainbow Loom kick we were on?”
Loom on, fellow Rainbow moms.
*****
ellie says
Oh. Sweet. Bibbity. Babbity. No. No rainbow looms here. I would die. Just dead.
But may I just say that I am really impressed that you all persevered with it! xoxo
Victoria @ Tales of an Artsy Mama says
My five year old insisted on this hellacious gift for christmas. Santa lovingly bought and wrapped it – it was opened and met with excitement. Now I am the craftiest person I know and I failed and failed and failed at this thing time after time. I told him we could work on it during our relax time after school today…,so I think I have some you tubing to do. Ugh ugh ugh.
Erica says
And I know that 8 year old rainbow loom genius! I also have a 6 year old who loves the rainbow loom.
Jennifer Shaw says
Oh this looks complicated, especially for little ones. My now grown eldest daughter would have loved this as a child. Thank goodness no one invented this until her 26th Christmas. 😉
Dawn Briscoe says
Like I said on Facebook, my daughter is 11 and is just like your Lainey and I am just like you. Rainbow loom box sorted in rainbow colors. None out of place, but heaven forbid if one bracelet gives her hell. I have to tell her to step away from the table before all hell breaks loose on the rainbow loom.
Lord help us all.
trumblywife says
I feel for Lainey. I am a fellow perfectionist, you know the kind of person who gives up drum lessons after a month because they aren’t a rock god yet. I struggle to pull lessons from these situations when I’m still working to find them myself. I want my kids to see the lost energy in seeking perfectionism but I have to find it myself first. I suppose we figure it out together 🙂
trumblywife says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wally says
Oh dear… we were having the same issues here…rainbow loom nightmare…rainbow loom disaster… all because one dang band was wrong too…until after a bazillion tries, the dust settled and we figured out the starburst pattern..after that my daughters cranked them out like pros…the obsession and frenzy have died down thank goodness and the loom has been put to the side…I keep finding little rubber bands throughout my house though..
haha.. life lessons learned from this- agreed!
Yvonne says
Oh my word; the zippy bracelet just about had me pulling my hair out. I restarted it 3 times before I finally figured out the right way to loop the bands. Funny how proud of yourself you can be for figuring out your child’s Christmas gift. 😀
knittingsheeple says
So… help a girl out. What size crochet hook do I need?
Sincerely, the mother of a Rainbow Loomer who lost the hook in a hotel room.
PS. My 10 year old son went from doing the very first braid thing you can do on just the two pronged loom to wanting to do a pattern listed as “expert.” It’s been a long lesson in patience and perseverance for him for the reasons you explained above (curse that ONE band that is the keymaster to the whole ruddy thing).
Shari says
Oh I feel your pain of watching the you tube videos and trying with all my might to not toss the thing through my window lol. Finally my husband figured it out and taught my daughter I have bracelets and rings galore and the pure joy she shows when I proudly wear them makes it worth it all. Loom On Kelle Loom On
Kate Victa says
Oh my gosh! This is us to a tee! My sons have them up to their elbow! I even have a few that the made me and insist I wear them and ask every moment of the day if I have them on! lol.
3 years ago it was silly bandz, when we were kids it was embroidery floss friendship bracelets, when Nela and my twins are 10 it’ll be something else, Pandora bracelets anyone? Heck I’d buy em all one if it meant not sitting for endless hours watching the 8 year old YouTube genius only to fail miserably cause my left brain is broken
AWSOME Post lol.
Jessica Orlowicz says
My oldest are 10 yrs, and they’re also obsessed with Rainbow Loom. I think it’s geared towards slightly older children for the very reason you mentioned. I’d have thrown it out by now if I had to participate in every.single.bracelet.
Sandi Delgado says
I love that these have become the “friendship” bracelets of the 2013-14 school year. My kiddos are so excited to bring home new bracelets and try and try again to make a new style for a friend. I’m not a fan of rubberbands in the wash or the frustration when the hard work falls apart for the nth time, but I like that my son is “crafting” without even knowing it!
Lisa Williams says
Both of my daughters have loom band kits and big ole organizers, but they are 12 and 8 and on their own. I find a random band laying around, it goes in the trash and I warn them over and over they will get thrown away. I keeps my 8 year old busy!
Jenn F. says
Am I the only idiot who actually enjoys making these? Yeah, I thought so. 🙂
KayS says
Omg…the rainbow loom kills me. As you pointed out so many life lessons though.
amy says
My 12 year old has been rainbow looming since her September birthday and is still going strong. We had many meltdowns in the beginning too. I explained that if this thing makes you cry, it can’t stick around. 🙂
So true about the life lessons!!
karla. says
I love this post. I’m not a rainbow loom mom, yet. However, I am a Thomas the Tank mom who sees the 45 minute melt-down when the one battery operated train won’t pull the 25 behind it my son has so meticulously spent 20 minutes attaching. Or heaven forbid the whole thing derail. Next time I will be using the “in the scheme of the world’s problems…”
And, yes, the house covered in teeny trains that “need new batteries” are still worth it.
Thanks!
Karla
herhomemadelife.blogspot.com
Jen Tappen-Smith says
My son doesn’t have the actual loom but he does have the rubberbands and has mastered doing them with his fingers…. I have no idea how. But I am now accessorized for whatever color I choose to wear.
~Dawn~ says
OMG!!! Wait until Lainey asks to make her own youtube tutorial video. You’re probably familiar with my 9 year old! 😉
rosanne parket photography says
We are in the same boat with our 6 year old son. He’s got some of them down but those complicated ones throw him into meltdown mode. And the rubber bands all over….wow, as soon as I think I have them under control I find more. We’ve probably vacummed a million 🙂 But I do agree, at least they are having fun making things and even our 14 year old daughter loves when he makes her bracelets and wears them proudly.
Melissa says
My daughter is also 6.5 and we had an epic meltdown over a failed waterfall bracelet last night. I was about ready to chuck the rainbow loom against the wall but decided to try and sit with her in her frustration, even though dinner was cooking away on the stove and my 4 year old was whining that she was SO hungry. We agreed to put away until after dinner.
We mastered that waterfall after dinner, minus a couple loose bands that thankfully, do not affect the construction of the bracelet.
We went on to Youtube the chevron pattern this morning but had to abandon it halfway through because it was time to go to school. Now I am sitting here itching to finish it even though I promised her I wouldn’t touch it while she was at school.
I have a love/hate relationship with the rainbow loom! 🙂
Jaclyn says
My 8 year old daughter looms all day and all night and I love how much pleasure she gets from it. However, I told my 5 yo daughter she’s too young to play with the loom on her own and she is fine with it. She knows she’ll be able to do it when she’s older. I think the RL is geared toward older kids and can totally see your frustration. I’d talk to her and tell her and put it away until she’s able to do the loom and understand the videos on her own.
Sara says
Pahahahahahaha, I love this so much.
My little guy has a semi truck with a trailer that, of course, falls off all. the. dang. time. It teaches me patience and teaches him that Mama is always there to help him.
Heather @ Raising Memories Blog says
ahahahaha 🙂 Oh, Kelli, so many of us can relate 🙂 Loved this post 🙂
Sydney says
I’m in absolute awe of you. I, another struggling Rainbow Loom mother, have not yet mastered that tedious and frustrating task and have not yet experienced the glory filled young eyes lighting up and staring at me in amazement. I too have shared the experiences you have in my home since this seemingly innocent gift was opened on Christmas day and concur with how crazy it is that these things take over like they do. Maybe, someday, I will also be able to master the Rainbow Loom. You’re accomplishment gives me hope, although I never figured out the Rubik’s Cube. Well, except how to take it apart and put it back together with the colors together. Does that count? :):):):)
Nancy says
And with boys u have to watch YouTube videos on how to transform some super hero into a super vehicle. That is unless you happen to have an engineering degree which most moms and 4 year old boys don’t!!!
Tammie says
Oh No Kelly! my daughter just has to read this so she can say “I told you so Mom) to me, I tried telling her these lwere all that this year and she said “No way Mom,they will be just a huge pain and I will be picking them up and having to make them myself, you know that my girls will need me to do it for them”. Well just so happens that their Aunt bought on for them anyway. ( not knowing of course ) Well, I have not heard a thing so I am not sure if they have had the pleasure to try this nightmare of a bracelet maker, or it was not put where they could find it😉 or they just mastered it without a problem. I can bet to be the second one in line, I am not sure to let them try it to let her say I told you so or just pass on your blog post and let her say I told you so, either way THANKS. For the heads up!!
cakebake says
This craft has thankfully not made it to our house yet. My girls have not asked for it and ,like a good mother, I’m not bringing it up in conversation! I try my best not to get our kids hooked on the latest and greatest that’s out in the world today. My son is the smartest of us all and paid a friend 25 cents for one and gave it to his sister for Christmas and bought himself one.
Ginny says
I laughed through the whole thing. Why? Because my kid got one for Christmas. But it’s not a “real” Rainbow Loom; it’s a Loom Band where they aren’t lined up the same way so…There’s NO way to make a starburst bracelet! Oh, the horror. I agree on the learning of patience, though. Fun times! Fun, fun times! I may go buy a “real” Rainbow loom, though. Pray for me.
jen says
We’ve been looming since the beginning of the school year. Such a craze. We’ve taken a break, until yesterday – the hooks, loom and bands were brought out – 2nd day of a snow day. My 5 year old can do them well, my 7 year old…well he gets a bit frustrated. We keep telling him slow down. Just watch, watch, and watch and with lots of practice you’ll get there.
Good Luck!
authenticparenting says
Like any other kid, mine got into it in the summer time, when it was still new but I am glad she is over it. She is 5 and she was very adamant to get all the levels right.
She did. I was so surprised the way she could work on her little projects. After she mastered it, and she started coming up with her own designs, she gave up. I told her from the beginning that it’s not for me, I have no interest and I never made any bracelet.
Molly Firsich says
Oh how I LOVE this! I was just at my 7 year-old cousin’s house the other day and watched her struggle/cry while watching the Youtube videos as well…I was sure that plastic rack was going out the window soon! But sure enough, she mastered the loom bracelets with flowers in it and now I am sporting a new pink and green bracelet to college myself. She was so proud…it’s the little things! <3
Tiffany says
Oh my goodness! I feel ya…everything you said about the rainbow loom is what we are experiencing over here with our 7 year old. Except it’s a crazy loom instead of the original rainbow loom. : ) We worked forever on some starburst bracelet or something like that and it totally fell apart when we took it off! I wanted to cry. She wanted to make another. Oh, the life lessons learned from the loom. Love it!
Jocelyn says
I r.e.f.u.s.e to buy one for my crafty little one. Have since day one. Her 6th birthday is coming up. I am seriously debating putting on the invitations “In our house, we don’t do barbies or rainbow looms” Any tips on how to word that nicely? 🙂 Shine on Kelle, shine on.
Wenona says
Yes, this has invaded our home too. And my kids are only 5 and 3…. my husband thought it would be “fun” for mom to create gazillions of bracelets for the kids. Well, it was fun for awhile (I must admit it’s enjoyable) but then kids see things like goldfish charms and all sorts online and here’s mom at 10:00 at night with one too many glasses of wine trying to follow a youtube tutorial that doesn’t have a focused video camera LOL. BUT – it was totally worth it when my daughter clipped her charm onto her bracelet and proceeded to dance around showing everyone what I made 🙂
Amanda Kapenga says
I am laughing so hard and can totally relate. My 7 year old son is crazy over these things! He is worried when the ipad only has 37% battery that it just might not be enough for the next tutorial!!!
Ahh!
Love it and I am too the mom of the year with all the bracelets I have finished/fixed/invented by accident/etc!
HappilyEverAmber says
Great post! Thanks for the smile and the encouragement to remember how important things are in the grand scheme.
PS- I’m now sure my sis-in-law wants to kill me, because I gave my niece one of these looms. I’ll send her on over here 🙂
Alicia D says
Brilliant! I have three girls ages 6,8, and 9 and they are all OBSESSED with the rainbow loom! My 9 year old got it first, and is obviously the most proficient schooling me on the double triple single whatnot, fishtails and hexafish, starburst, etc. I don’t know how to do a SINGLE one – she watched them all on You Tube (probably that same girl you guys watch) and taught herself. There were many tears and frustrations but she hung in there and eventually picked it up… and then had the patience to teach her younger sister. I don’t know – I think its pretty cool (probably bc I don’t have to get involved in the slightest bit LOL). I can think of worse things to spend our money on and at least this is crafty and relatively inexpensive 🙂 But yet, there is always Rainbow Loom drama! Great post :)!
Alicia D says
Brilliant! I have three girls ages 6,8, and 9 and they are all OBSESSED with the rainbow loom! My 9 year old got it first, and is obviously the most proficient schooling me on the double triple single whatnot, fishtails and hexafish, starburst, etc. I don’t know how to do a SINGLE one – she watched them all on You Tube (probably that same girl you guys watch) and taught herself. There were many tears and frustrations but she hung in there and eventually picked it up… and then had the patience to teach her younger sister. I don’t know – I think its pretty cool (probably bc I don’t have to get involved in the slightest bit LOL). I can think of worse things to spend our money on and at least this is crafty and relatively inexpensive 🙂 But yet, there is always Rainbow Loom drama! Great post :)!
Kendra Arch says
The Waterfall bracelet left my 9 year old in tears and telling me – Do you know how much time I just spent on that? Good lessons yes but not until a few four letter words wanted to come out of my mouth. I think the box needs a warning – May cause tears and swearing!
Stacy Monaghan says
I cannot tell you how many times I have hear the words “triple single” in the past two months. But like you the smile of excitement when I found the website that solved our problems following the youtube Starburst videos with a handy step by step guide make up for (most of) it. I now live with a Starburst master!
Mama Mel says
My sister wanted to get this for my 3 and 5 year old girls. I vetoed it because their baby sister would eat the rubber bands. I ended up buying these mini looms I found at Cracker Barrel for $5. There’s only one bracelet style that is explained on the package, but even the three year old mastered the hand held loom. They LOVE their bracelets! Maybe we’ll get the bigger version when they’re older.
Jeremy Schmidt says
Dads do this too! Don’t leave us out here!! I’ve logged in quite a bit of hours making my 3 girls name bracelets.
Yvonne says
Christmas night I sat with my niece, next to the lit Christmas tree, trying to make a bracelet for everyone in the family. After muttering some not so Christmas-y words under my breath I gave up and told her to take it to her patient grandma for help. About 10 minutes later grandma wasn’t so patient anymore and handed it to my niece to take to the next victim. Suddenly I hear my niece yell, “Who invented this damn thing?!?!” as she threw rubber bands on the floor. Hmmm, guess I only thought I was whispering those things under my breath. Oops. 🙂
kay4244 says
I love the post today! I believe you just described our household the past few days. It brought a smile to my face and made me and my hubby laugh as I read it to him. I too just completed the zippy band after many attempts. Congrats on being a loom hero!!
Pmd5678 says
Oh yeah we have it at our house to.My 10 year old nephew has it we haven’t had it out in a looooog time.But I know what your talking about.
Jess says
I’m not a mom, but I do have a very adorable 9 year old goddaughter who received a Rainbow Loom for Christmas. When I went to visit her, she looked at the box under the tree and said sweetly “yeah…that didn’t go so well.” Two hours and approximately 537,024 Youtube videos later, we had something that sort of looked like a bracelet. I was reaching out to the universe for extra doses of patience through the entire thing.
Katherine says
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Brigid Helene says
I’m wearing the Diamond Ridge bracelet my son made especially for his mama in red, purple and white 🙂
Farmgirl Paints says
I love that she can make me something homemade… Being a bracelet maker myself I understand that satisfaction 🙂 And you slay me. That’s all…
Flower Patch Farmgirl says
The rainbow zippy is my BANE.
Ruby’s marching around town looking like Egyptian goddess with her neck stacked 12-deep in fishtails. Meanwhile, I’m just hoping she doesn’t catch wind that Lainey has a special organizer while she’s got an Aldi ziploc.
Soldier on and send me all the zippy vibes you can spare!
Kim says
We first saw the Rainbow Loom at last year’s Buddy Walk. My six year old, my 14 year old and both my husband and myself all attempted to complete one bracelet. Finally we asked a, you guessed it, 8 year old girl to help us. She finished it in a flash. I think the age range on the box should say “For ages 8. And only 8!”
Dear Lola says
NEW reader here!
Found your blog through pinterest, where I stumbled across the ABSOLUTELY,most AMAZING north pole party I ever did see. EVER.
Your world here is incredible, Only sad I didn’t find it sooner. You make me laugh, cry, smile, and think deeply.
I look forward to coming back here time & time again. Keep it up – you have a lot of people counting on it (no pressure) 😉
Your children are divine.
Love ash (mama to Lola 3 years & Maeve 3 months) xxx
Hamilton Family says
We are having the exact same meltdowns and conversations here. Last night… ditto on the meltdown, tears, etc. Today was a new looming day, bright with a mile long necklace. I guess we’re (all) making process.
Carrie
James Wood says
Don’t forget about us rainbow loom dads. I find myself on many weekends working two different looms…my son is working on one and my daughter on the other. These are great opportunties to teach transferable skills…patience, concentration, sharing, etc. They are even learning to work together at 9 and 7yrs old, instead of the typical bickering back and forth. I’ll deal with the little rubberbands around my place, if it keeps the peace between everyone.
Sarah Bohannen says
My girls are still to young for the rainbow loom, but holy cow, you just gave me a major flashback with the nylon potholders! I SO remember making those things, lol!
Unknown says
Forget the Rainbow Loom–will you please have her learn how to make those awesome friendship bracelets from embroidery floss? I love those and miss little kids making and selling them. I personally would buy a few. Thanks!
Jamie says
My husband and I were DYING laughing as I read this out loud to him. We don’t have a daughter yet (or any children old enough to know what a rainbow loom is…) but we’re excited to experience these sorts of catastrophes with our children later on. Thanks for the laughs!
Nicolette Gawthrop says
I love the image of your accepting the Zippy challenge and spending that time showing lil Lainey who’s the OG bracelet boss. Bet it meant the world to her. It’s great when we drop all the Mom-ness and just be the ultimate big kid.
<3
yocheved brazil says
And here I am telling my 7 year old daughter that there’s no way that her friends are able to create these bracelets if mommy can’t even do it and she insists that they can! I have spent hours upon hours and I only know how to make the basic one and fishtail. Those directions are ridiculous!! Lol in your post… I totally relate:)
Sara in Saskatchewan says
Yep. Ditto. But it was the starburst that caused tears and elastics covering my desk and living room floor. It was eventually mastered and the hexafish is likely next. Lord help us all looming moms.
Lulu says
My oldest is only 4 so I’m hoping the craze is over in a few years when she’s old enough to ask.
Lindsay says
Love this – can totally relate – and the loom does produce sone funny things! My five-year-old was busily sorting her bands when she suddenly exclaimed, “oh, no. HOW did this happen?!?! I guess I’ll just have to put the little hooker over here.” Made me laugh.
Deb says
LOL!! I could have written this. We are living it, too! Only my daughter is a little older, and I’m completely inept at this sort of thing, so she’s on her own. I have to admit to vacuuming up the things whenever I see them (shhhh). My daughter spent hours watching those videos, and when her bracelet failed, she’d claim whoever did the video was a “fraud” and move on to another one. After about three weeks she finally seemed to get it and there were fewer tearful outbursts and wasted hours. I honestly don’t know how kids these days who have such short attention spans are able to sit and focus on these things for hours…but in that respect I guess it’s not such a bad thing after all.
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Kristin Reynolds says
The rainbow loom has invaded our house as well. The plus side-my 12 year old is a good helper for her 6 year old sisters. Even my 9 year old son helps his sisters when they get stuck.
My oldest made a hibiscus flower loom bracelet last night-with fits and starts and stops-from the darn You Tube videos-and she was so excited to wear it to school today.
When my kids aren’t fighting over the 1 loom we have (they can make some bracelets just using their fingers) it’s a wonderful thing. This toy is a blessing and a curse at times!
Rollie says
My grandkids have been making these since they came out awhile ago. I couldn’t help them, their parents didn’t even try but the 9 year old, at the time, kept trying. The younger one gave up and made 10 foot long chains. How do you keep the little bands from the boy putting them in his mouth. I admire Lainie’s persistence.
Melissa says
Here is a link to gentle friendly rainbow loom tutorials. She is 11 years old and has a gift of explaining.
http://m.youtube.com/user/liveacraftlife
Just google craft life —
She will make you love the loom.
Michelle says
I had a moment of panic when I found my 16 year old daughter intently checking out packages of rubber bands. She saw me watching her and she grinned, and said, “Kids, huh?” I don’t know what she meant, but I’m so glad I don’t have a million tiny rubber bands strewn about the house, because I know my daughter…they’d be everywhere if we owned a loom!!
Raelyn says
Kelle….
I love, love, love your Rainbow Loom lessons!! Especially this one. “My personal favorite lesson that has evolved from the introduction of the rainbow loom to our home, however, remains the following: ‘Hey, in the scheme of the world’s problems, where does this failed fishtail rank? Worth this meltdown? Yeah. Didn’t think so.’.” Crack. Me. Up!! ;-D
I am looking forward to your thoughts on Down syndrome!! 😉
–Raelyn
brookeriffel335 says
So glad I’m not the only one with these silly problems. Ha ha! Just last night my son and I spent a good hour working on his first triple single (I think) and while trying to remove the bands, one jumped off and our whole hour of bonding time went down the drain. But, we made up for it today by trying again!
Christine Wood says
It’s those moments of self-control, when we remember the bigger picture around us and to not allow the smaller frustrations rip us of our sanity. Bravo, for getting through that moment.
Tonya says
I was laughing through this entire blog post! We also have a rainbow loom and have had several breakdowns as well. Of course, my rainbow loomer is 10, so they probably arent as frequent LOL Being an extremely crafty person myself, I completely understand the addiction. My 10 year old self would have totally had a rainbow loom!
Paula says
What a great laugh I had from this post. I too am a Rainbow Loom Mom of a 7 year old boy. Yes, boys are into this craze too. So for Christmas my boy got a loom kit, but Momma is the one watching the videos and making the bracelets. The things you do for your kids, right!?! But to see my boy so proud, heading back to school after the holidays with an arm full of rubber bands is totally worth any pain in the butt Mom went through to make it happen. Loom on, loom on!
Sheriji says
I can’t think of a better award than “Zippy Chain Mom” You go girl!
My daughter has gone through this kick, too, but she’s 12-almost-13 so is NOT going to ask for my help no matter what. I did just pick up about 35 of these from all over her room. Earning new bags of loops is a good incentive for good attitude and/or doing chores in a cheerful and timely fashion, etc. So that helps.
She also made about 100 hair bows out of some fabric scraps she acquired at a furniture store (don’t ask; she thinks she’s a “curator,” I think she’s a “hoarder”); this would be great if she sold them to her friends or something but they just keep lying around and ending up under her bed with the dust bunnies and bracelet-loom-loops.
Alas. She will someday go to college, and this will just be a cute, distant, memory. Alas.
Vanessa says
I am glad my kids aren’t of an age yet to request a Rainbow Loom! I know my day is coming, and it might be something even worse, but right now I am content with mega blocks and Little People.
Good for you for maintaining your composure. I don’t know if I would have the patience to YouTube it all for hours on end.
Susie Q says
Too funny! Had no idea what a Rainbow Loom was, until my little 6 year old nephew was sitting next to me in mass one Saturday eve, and pulls out a handful of these itty-bitty rubber bands!! WTH?? I’m looking at my SIL? Well, he confiscated them from sister’s stash – – and was making the bracelets with just his fingers!!! So……being the good Auntie I am, got the little lad his OWN Rainbow Loom, rubber bands – AND most importantly (if you don’t want those blasted bands all over the place!) a little storage box! Kid was in heaven! LOOM ON!!
Tracie says
DITTO! We have tried and tried to learn the starburst pattern on youtube and just gave up. My aunt gave my daughter a book that has the zippy chain and triple single, etc and it is fantastic. It’s a 20 page booklet that she got at Michael’s. I highly recommend it!
Patti says
Did anyone else’ kid think it was called the “Rain Ballon?” My five year old did – cracked me up.
emmabovary says
I love this, it is so true. I often think when I spend time with my niece’s and nephew’s that I am creating memories with them, and that makes all the annoying things seem alright again. 🙂
Christina says
This post made me laugh out loud. As a Six Sigma Black Belt, I had my girls (6 and 5) sorting the darn bands after a giant spill in our living room. We accomplished that. Then, I stayed up until 3 a.m. figuring out the hexafish – it was great until the end and then I found myself cutting the bracelet shorter and shorter so I could put the loops back on the loom and actually end it. So, my daughter received a hexafish bracelet for her doll.
The NV Mingays says
This is my life! And I laughed with you and definitely not at you. Great perspective and I was also floored by the silly 10 year old girl that was teaching me the fishtail. Love it!
Jen says
We went through a perler bead craze at our house a few years ago. Hours of carefully placing millimeter-size beads, only to have them scatter on the way to the iron. Many tears. And those beads… they really scatter! I still find them every now and then.
robin says
LOL! I feel your pain! My 9 year old son got a similar kind of loom and it took hours to try to figure that thing out. After watching lot of youtube, he started doing little bracelets by hand. Whew! It seems everyone at school was doing something like that and he wanted to try too! It definitely kept him busy for many hours! Glad your ‘lil one enjoys it all too!
Janelle says
I don’t have a daughter. No rainbow looms in my home. Although they do actually look like fun to me. ha!
Nell
Me says
I would like to just shake the hand of the mom who turned dental braces rubberbands into a million dollar craft.
Car T says
I might just print out this post and place it on my fridge for my son to read because this is the same exact thing that’s happening at our house! Sure he might be learning rainbow looms aren’t just for girls, that organization is important and that determination is great…and he might be fine tuning his fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, but he might also lose his mind over this thing!! Ha! I might too.
Anyway. Love the post. I’m gonna print it out to see what his reaction is.
Janis Maz says
Rainbow Loom strawberry charm was an epic FAIL. 2 hours of my life that I will never get back….yes, TWO hours and it was still a failure. The inventor of this toy has a sick sense of humour.
scootingranny says
What a wonderful post! Loved it!
Katie says
I feel ya! I spent HOURS trying to make the Mickey Mouse bracelet for both of my daughters. My husband was all…”how many times are you going to attempt this before you throw in the towel?” I just had to finish them if for no other reason than to prove to my girls that it takes time and patience. And maybe a few tears….