Taking my son to the toyshop to spend his pocket money is a guaranteed hit on paper. Because what kid is turning their nose up at a toy? 

But it rarely works out that way, and the experience is often painful for both of us. I watch him walk up and down the aisles, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of toys. How can he possibly make a choice when presented with so many options?  

He changes his mind, second-guessing himself every time he picks something up.  

Eventually, he makes a decision. But he’s not bobbing up and down with excitement as we proceed to the checkout. Instead, he’s wondering if he made the right choice. 

Because the freedom to choose is a paradox when we’re presented with too many choices.  

This is why I limit these toyshop experiences as much as possible. 

Compare that to when we go shopping in charity shops, or treasure shops, as we refer to them in our house, and it’s a totally different experience.  

That’s because we adhere to the Treasure Shop Protocol.  

Before entering, we agree on one thing we’re going inside to look for. For me, it’s always books. For my son, it’s a toy from a particular brand: Star Wars, Mario or something else (I can never keep up).  

Let’s say he’s after a Sonic toy. If he finds a Sonic toy, then he can buy it. But this time, the payoff is huge. Now he’s bobbing up and down with excitement – he can’t believe his luck! He’s not second-guessing anything because there’s nothing to second-guess. 

And when he strikes gold in a treasure shop, I guarantee he’ll keep that toy by his side for the next forty-eight hours. 

And if he doesn’t find the toy he’s looking for? Well, then he leaves disappointed. But you know what? He gets over that disappointment quicker than he does second-guessing if he chose the right toy from a toyshop, one that cost him a lot more money. 

I think that’s remarkable. This subtle shift in our approach to buying toys offers so much value, all by removing the paradox of choice.  

Next time you’re out in town with your kids bypass the toyshop and head somewhere else, like a boot fair or the school fete. Or your local charity shop. 

But remember to adhere to the rules of the Treasure Shop Protocol.