Was there something you were denied as a child that you bought as an adult? You’re not alone. I bought a cell phone immediately after becoming an adult. Someone recently asked a popular online platform for their best purchases. Here is what they had to say.
1. Metal Detector
“A metal detector. I always wanted one as a kid, but my dad said I’d use it a handful of times, and then it would sit and collect dust forever. I bought myself one, and it turns out that my dad was right.”
2. Ice Cream Cake
“Ice Cream Cake. My sister was a spring baby. She got ice cream cakes. I never got ice cream cakes because it was hot for my birthday, and my mother said they melted too quickly. Now I get my own ice cream cakes. I don’t care if they melt.”
3. Expensive LEGO Sets
“I recently bought the Ghost ship and almost passed out from excitement during its construction due to over-focusing on it.”
“I felt the same way when I began construction of the Death Star kit. Took over a month of part-time assembling to get it done. Had to get an updated prescription for my glasses when I was finished. Four thousand sixteen pieces.”
4. Operation Game
“I grew up in a home where my parents practiced a religion that said you can’t seek medical help or go to doctors. I always wanted the Operation game and a pretend doctor’s bag like my friends had. When I became a parent, my child received a play doctor’s kit and the Operation game for Christmas one year.”
5. Comfortable Shoes
“Comfortable shoes! Growing up with flat feet and parents who didn’t want to shell out a lot of money for shoes meant I wore uncomfortable tennis shoes for years.
That’s why, as soon as it was warm enough and sometimes not, I would wear flip-flops because they didn’t hurt my feet. My husband makes sure my shoes fit comfortably because my one “comfortable” pair was falling apart when we met because I was so broke I couldn’t afford shoes. He took me shoe shopping as a date and bought me comfortable shoes.”
6. Concert Tickets
“Concerts. My parents refused to let me see my favorite singer when I was 15 because it was in the big city. So a few years ago, I went and saw her live here and then drove to see her again three hours away the next night, and it was amazing.”
7. Therapy
“I was looking for what I needed as a kid because I never missed anything material from my parents. But I really needed a therapist. I think I showed signs of being unhealthy mentally from a very young age, and nobody ever cared. I’m so glad to have my therapist today at 20.”
8. Dog
“A dog. The first thing I did when I got my own place at 18 was adopt a dog. Now I’m 48 and have always had at least one. My mother seriously underestimated how badly I wanted one.”
9. Experiences
“Experiences. I have quite a few siblings, so whenever we went somewhere (beach, fair, festival, amusement park), it was very much a vibe of ‘OK, we paid to be here, and we brought sandwiches, and we’re not wasting money on games.’ As a child-free adult, I relish wasting a dollar on a boardwalk claw machine or $40 to rent a surrey for an hour. It’s really good for my inner 9-year-old.”
10. Real Soda
“Soda with sugar! My dad developed hypoglycemia after Hepatitis B, so the whole family drank diet soda. And some of them were so awful. Naturally, once I was in college, I went hog wild. I have since controlled myself, but I will never forget my first Coke. Sigh.”
11. Super Soaker
“Honestly, so many things, but the one that felt more like an achievement is one of the cheapest ones. I remember asking for a super soaker to Santa for like seven years. Last year, I got my kids and myself a few of them, and it made me tear up. I can give them the childhood I couldn’t have.”
12. Easy Bake Oven
“Easy Bake Oven. My daughter was three, and she asked for ‘A tiny oven my size.’ Girrrrllll, say less! Literally put on shoes and went straight to Target. It was the best day of my life, I mean, the best day of her life.
It did not work nearly as well as I had dreamed.”
13. Power Wheels
“I bought my kid one of those ride-in Power Wheels type cars. I wanted one SO bad when I was a kid (the Barbie Jeep one), and my parents kept a tight budget. I got one for my 4-year-old last Christmas; he loves it so much. I love seeing him enjoy a toy I coveted so badly.”
14. Color Painted Walls
“Walls painted in a color that’s not off-white. My mom would only ever do things to her house in neutral colors for resale value (even if there were no plans to move for years).
When we moved to our most recent house, we painted the pantry off the kitchen pumpkin orange. It’s my favorite color, and my husband said I should have a room in it. Since that pantry is mostly for me (I love to bake and cook), we should just do it. I love him.”
15. Air Conditioning
“AC. My stepmom, growing up, was always cold, so she kept the house set to 80 degrees all year (we lived in Florida, too). So now that I have my own place, I don’t even care what the electric bill is. The place stays at 68 all year. If I get cold, I wear some socks and drink hot chocolate and think about all the times I couldn’t sleep because I was too sweaty and hot, and now I sleep like a baby.”
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Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.