Unknown benefits

Last night I witnessed a side benefit to our lice problem. We have taken every stuffed animal and 'bagged them', we've blocked entry into both kids rooms, and we have placed our basement (playroom) on a 'no play zone' for 2 weeks. We did this in haste on Friday without realizing that our kids would actually possibly be 'needing' things from there. Well, yesterday I was on a call with my mother for a good spell and the kids were entertaining themselves...with what you might ask....their imagination. I walked into our family room area where the kids had nothing but their hands making motions and they told me they were running a pet walking business and they had a number of pets, all of them named and many clients. Well, I'll be, kids CAN actually use their imagination. I was beginning to wonder with today's overstimulation, must have, need to have, latest and greatest yadda, yadda, yadda. This really lightens the load for Christmas this year....I'll just box up a whole bunch of 'nothing' and see what the kids come up with! I imagine, they'd come up with a revolt is what I think would happen! But really, I plan to simplify this year when it comes to the holiday shopping...hey wait, that is what I say every year...I'll report back on that one.