Make Do Mend?

I briefly touched on my new mantra - and I think this war mentality suits me- read as either make do and mend or as the crafter in me likes to interpret it make, do, mend. But I was wondering - can you teach this philosophy to an adult?

After I deleted all the business information from the computer on Friday (purely accidental - why would I make extra work for myself on purpose) the big squirrel drops his work mobile into the toilet. Now I know no one would do that on purpose, to have to go fishing in that for their phone - but it just an extra thing. So now he wants a new phone.

I know he needs one for business- I get that, which is why he has mine and I am non-contactable, but HIS life mantra is - just get a new one. Fine if we weren't still paying for the last one that went swimming! He is taking it to get repaired, but he will be my biggest obstacle if I want to start "compacting".

The pictures above show that these little acorns don't want to play with all the 'stuff' but much happier playing with each other, a couple of swords (while I am not 'for' this behaviour, they were previously fighting with wooden spoons, and the foam swords are a lot less damaging) and of course the age old classic - playing in the box the toys are kept in!