Just awhile ago, on a babywearing Facebook group, a mummy posted that her husband was angry with her for buying another Tula. It made her scared. As the story unfolded and people jumped in with ideas and suggestions, it came out that they owed credit card bills (it’s her husband’s debts not hers) for months. She bought a Tula. And she is extremely reluctant to sell the other Tulas she own to offset the one she just purchased.

Addiction? Peer pressure? I don’t know.

In all these Facebook interest groups, whether it is babywearing or Ju-ju-be or Daiso, it becomes easy to get carried away and think that it is “normal” to have excess… and after awhile the price tag becomes just a number you are immuned to.

I am very guilty of it.

I see people posting stash shots. I want to have a stash like that too! And being a person prone to excesses (remember my wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling cabinet for shoes), I did definitely build my own stashes.

The scary thing about these Facebook groups is that when an item goes up for sale on the BST (Buy Sell Trade) pages, people almost immediately reply with “PM!” and that makes you freak out and anyhow PM the next seller in case you miss out that “good deal” or “hard to find design”.

I am guilty as charged. The only  consolation is, I’m not eating into money meant for necessities, and I have the next paycheck coming again.

When the mama made that post anit really saddened me..why would owning the next tula take higher priority than getting the family out of debt which is obviously causing some sort of stress to the husband? We have let something good like babywearing become that evil thing that drives a wedge between husband and wife.

I have shared all the merits of babywearing and using SSCs all this while.  Today, I feel that we need to go back to why we babywear. It is a tool for bonding with baby; an aid for tired arms and restless babies. However, the most important thing a baby needs is not a branded carrier. It is LOVE and a happy family will provide that love, not material needs.

I am happy that while we are not filthy rich, we are not lacking financially. I’m grateful that my husband while not entirely indulgent,  has never seen a need to get upset over my spending habits. He just sporadically reminds me whenever it gets too out of hand.

I hope that the mama, and anyone else in the same situation out there will make the right choices eventually.

Don’t get swept away by the craze online.