My step-son received a model car for his birthday and this weekend he decided to build it and paint it.  He was so excited to work with his Dad on this special project.  We made a list of the things we needed for the model (glue, paint, etc) and I set off to Walmart to pick everything up.

I had to pass by the large selection of X-Box,  Play Station, and Wii games to get to the toy section so that I could locate the models and the glue.  Not finding anything there, I proceeded to the craft section thinking that model glue would be there.  No luck.

I tracked down an employee who had no idea and found a lady who seemed to be responsible for the toy section.  With sadness in her voice, she reported to me that Walmart didn’t carry model glue.   My first thought was that they stopped carrying the glue because people were probably sniffing it or something dangerous like that.  I jokingly asked her if that was the reason and her answer was that Walmart actually didn’t need to carry glue because they don’t carry models.  I sat there with my jaw dropped realizing that one of the biggest retailers in America has stopped carrying model cars, airplanes, etc.  She assured me that a few locations still did but that they are not an item that was moving off of the shelves.

A child building a model with his siblings or parents is such an important tradition for all involved.  It is quality time where a child is using his hand/eye coordination and creative skills to build something he can keep forever.  The memories of building it with Mom or Dad stay forever.

I’m sad I had to pass by all of the video games in Walmart to locate the empty shelf where models once were.  There are no memories built from sticking your kids in front of violent video games.  It’s just an inappropriate babysitter replacing quality family time.  I hope for a day when parents will unite and even remember how important things like model building were.  If we don’t, it’s just another nail in the coffin for American families and our society as a whole.