Rubber bracelets a big fad, bigger distraction
May 26, 2010 11:06 AM
Jerry Gretzinger
Oh to have been the person who came up with this idea.
Silly Bandz.
To adults, they're rubber bands formed into neat shapes.To kids, they're the latest fad. A must have.And for lots of youngsters, they must have many.According to middle-schoolers when asked who's wearing them, "Pretty much everybody."The little rubber bands come in all different colors and shapes and they're going out of stock at a surprising rate.
Parents have actually started planning their trips to shopping areas like Clifton Park Center around when the UPS man shows up with his deliveries.
One mom waiting in line for Silly Bandz admitted she'd been looking for them for "a couple weeks now".Another added she'd "been looking everywhere for these".
There's been a lot of traffic at the Dollar Store and Ta-Da, where owner Michael Richman says Silly Bandz were not an overnight hit.
"They kind of sat around for months, till March hit. About 5 months."
Then, he adds, it got "crazy".Of course, where there's fads, there's fire.
Mike Smith, principal at Shenendehowa's Orenda Elementary school in Clifton Park says teachers have started implementing very strict rules on Silly Bandz.
They're becoming a disctraction in class and leading to the types of incidents you might expect from so many kids wearing so many rubber bands.
"One student flicked the band and hit a student in the eye," says Smith.
One mom at Ta-Da said that some kids are even using the bands as a way to bribe children to play, or not play, with certain kids.
"If you don't play with Sara," she explained, "I'll give you a Silly Band. And if you play with me you can have this."
While some districts are considering Silly Bandz bans, Shen hasn't gotten to that point yet. They're letting the schools make that call individually.
As long as the kids keep them under control and mom and dad keep them coming, everyone should be happy.
$3.52
