The Seven Forms of Nagging

I recently read this sickeningly factual book by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson. Click here for review.

One of the most interesting parts was this excerpt from Kids as Customers, a book by James U. McNeal, professor of marketing at Texas A&M University. McNeal is known as America's foremost authority on successful marketing techniques geared at children.

McNeal classifies childhood nagging into seven categories. Please note the following information was found on page 50 of Schlosser's book. I've copied it verbatim.

• The Pleading Nag. A pleading nag is one accompanied by repetitions of words like "please" or "mom, mom, mom."
• 
  
• The Persistent Nag. A persistent nag involves constant requests for the coveted product and may include the phrase, "I'm gonna ask just one more time."
• 
  
• The Forceful Nag. Forceful nags are extremely pushy and may include subtle threats, like "Well, then, I'll go and ask Dad."
• 
  
• The Demonstrative Nag. Demonstrative nags are the most high-risk, often characterized by full-blown tantrums in public places, breath-holding, tears, and a refusal to leave the store.
• 
  
• The Sugar-coated Nag. Sugar-coated nags promise affection in return for a purchase and may rely on seemingly heartfelt declarations like, "You're the best mom in the world."
• 
  
• The Threatening Nag. Threatening nags are youthful forms of blackmail, vows of eternal hatred and of running away if something isn't bought.
• 
  
• The Pity Nag. Pity nags claim the child will be heartbroken, teased, or socially stunted if the parent refuses to buy a certain item.

McNeal states: "All of these appeals and styles may be used in combination, but kids tend to stick to one or two of each that prove most effective…for their own parents."

Does this just completely disgust anyone else but me? I can't believe marketers are so quick to make a buck that they'd promote nagging in children. Ugh.

How I Cleaned My Washing Machine

Let me begin this post by saying that I am under no obligation to endorse the Tide name or brand...I just have a really great experience to share! (And, I want to have the following information put in writing somewhere for future reference!)

Believe it or not, even the appliances we use to cleanse things need their own cleansing now and then. I would have thought that idea was a given but I was laughed at recently by a friend who insisted she'd never heard of actually cleaning a washing machine. Go figure.

So, for quite some time now my washing machine has been super stinky. I always had to make sure and get the clean clothes out of it right away before they began to take on that stinky sock smell.

I've scoured the internet looking for ideas. Several websites mentioned different concoctions of vinegar, lemon juice, bleach and more---and I tried all of them that I found---but none seemed to work. I checked with Heloise but her information wasn't much different from what I found online.

The above-mentioned conversation took place in the presence of a third friend who, at the time, informed me that there was an actual product out there called "washing machine cleaner". She encouraged me to look for it at Walmart.

I had been meaning to look for said product for the last several months but kept forgetting. The other day, I decided to check for it online. That's when I discovered Tide Washing Machine Cleaner.

According to the website, our washers get stinked up with all kinds of nasty things like oils from our skin, body and environmental odors, and filthy film from the dirt and grime on our clothes. These things rub along the inside of the washer and then rub onto each load of clothes we wash. The washing machine cleaner is designed to pull up all that nasty stuff, leaving your washer smelling great and free of the smellies.

I finally did go to Walmart and buy a box. It cost me almost $7 and came with three monthly treatments. According to the directions, if one hasn't used the product before then it should be used once a week for three weeks and then every month thereafter. After running a treatment through, I thoroughly scrubbed all surfaces outside the drum with 409 cleaner.

My washer is now sparkling clean and smells so fresh and nice! I think the product was well worth the price and am happy I bought it. The only problem now is the fact that my washer now smells so nice that I don't want to wash anything in it and risk getting it dirty again!