Purse Snatcher Strap

I know, as does every parent, that my kids are very smart and will go far in life. In fact, I'm counting on it. Someone will have to pay for me in my old age.

I hadn't really thought about how early my oldest son had started showing his brilliance until the other day, though. Yes, he started reading early, walking early, talking early, etc, etc, etc, yada, yada, yada, but I didn't realize how inventive and smart he was at such an early age.

For quite a number of years, when my wife goes shopping and uses a cart, she takes her purse and actually buckles it into the "child seat" in the cart. I don't think it's because she got in the habit of strapping the kids in and just kept with the flow. She is a creature of habit, but I don't think she would carry it that far.

She told me the story awhile ago, but it didn't stick (or I didn't have a blog at the time to use to brag). Apparently, when my oldest son, then two years old, was out shopping with my wife and step-mom, he used to take the second seat belt and strap my wife's purse into the cart. He might have been amusing himself and his ability to be so in control, but when my wife went to remove her purse -- "WAIT! Why is my purse buckled into the cart! Hey, wait a minute. That would keep someone from walking by and taking my purse while I'm not paying close enough attention. Cool idea, son. Thanks." She locks her purse into the cart every time she goes shopping now.

OK, so maybe my wife deserves the credit. But my son certainly receives a co-author on the idea. And it sounds cooler to say my 2-year-old came up with the idea :-)