We have far too many toys.
It’s a problem. I have this tendency to try and make my children happy with stuff. We didn’t have that much stuff when I was a child, and frankly, I always wanted some. Years of being told I couldn’t have, well, almost anything made me someone who wanted to give my children everything. Don’t get me wrong-I was well fed and well clothed, great roof over my head, and had two parents who loved me. But once in awhile, it would have been nice to get a frivolous gift, instead of something “useful” that I didn’t ask for. Like skates.
Right now, I’m staring at 3 bins and 4 baskets full of toys, 90% of which doesn’t get played with. There are two large garbage bags in the basement full of toys to give away, along with two other bins of toys, most of which never gets played with. It’s a problem, and one which I sadly contribute to every time we go, well, pretty much anywhere.
I have trouble saying no, I know. But it’s more than that-it’s remembering feeling how happy I was when my parents might spend a dollar on me for a change, on something I wanted just because I wanted it, because it looked like fun. I remember always begging for craft kits and never EVER getting one because it “might make a mess.” In my memories, I’m always that kid with her nose pressed against the window at the toy store.
Not that having parents who weren’t uber-consumers was a bad thing. Aside from getting suckered every time I’m at the dollar store, we don’t spend a lot, and I make a point to talk about where things come from, and why we don’t buy certain things. But I still always have this urge to surround my daughters in things they will like.
The playroom however, has gotten out of hand. Christmas is coming, and regardless of how much we urge our relatives to make a contribution to their RESP, they still get a pile of crap the don’t really need under the tree. The only stuff they still care about from last year are the Fisher Price sets and the blocks. That’s it. And there was a LOT of stuff under that tree.
This year, we have no real idea what to tell people who insist on knowing what Vivian might want, or what Rosalyn is desperate for. We do know that “Santa” is bringing Vivian a kid durable digital camera, so she’ll leave ours alone. She has a fantastic eye, and we want to encourage this. Rosalyn…no idea. She’s 3 in March, and at the in between, still might put it in my mouth, but too old for baby toys stage. I’m thinking some Kid K’Nex for her since she’s such a bloody little mechanic already. But otherwise…
They have enough stuffed animals to smother a zoo in. If I step on one more little person, I’m going to scream. We have more than enough plastic animals, insects, dinosaurs and whathaveyou’s to build a space ship. And books – lordy, don’t get me started on the books. Thankfully, that’s the one thing I firmly believe you cannot have enough of.
I want my girls to have fun stuff that is also fairly educational, and not wasteful. My oldest is starting school next year, so we’re working on various age appropriate skills, reading, days of the week, telling time, counting, that sort of thing. However, if I bring any tools other than my fingers into it, she ceases to care. I want her to care. And I want her to not be distracted by all the utter crap laying around our house.
Any suggestions out there? What is everyone getting their kids for the holidays? And is anyone else sick of Christmas already.
by Thordora
[tags]kids, children, parents, parenting, holidays, celebrations, toys, gifts, money, books, RESP, Registered Education Savings Plan, Canada, stuffed animals, stuffies[/tags]
Photo graciously provided by blu_blue, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved
7 responses so far ↓
Mary Joan Koch // Nov 6, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Here are some ideas that worked with my 4 daughters:
More blocks
Endless art supplies and an easel
Tickets to ballet, concerts, children’s plays
Musical instruments
Experiences–zoos, museums, aquariums. Consider family memberships
Ballet music–Swan Lake, Nutcracker, etc. My kids loved to dance around the living room.
Pattern Blocks, cuisinaire rods
Dressup clothes–look in thrift shops
Start to buy chapter books if you haven’t already
Judy // Nov 6, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Oh, I wish I could help. Sadly, as much as we strive to not be consumers, toys are the one place where we fail, miserably. And like you, I have trouble giving them away - and I have had moments where I gave something away, only to wish we still had it a week later!!!
Art supplies, if they’re into it, is good, because it encourages creativity, but doesn’t create clutter - you use it and then it’s gone. (My boys have no interest in doing anything crafty, except for drawing with chalk, on everywhere but the chalkboard.)
Other consumables - bath colors, bubble bath, bath crayons.
Other than that, I’m at a loss. Good luck!
Marcela Rhodus // Nov 6, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Just like Vivian, Morgan will get a kid digital camera, already have it hidden around the house, so no rush shopping for me. Mackenzie will get this puppy: http://www.lillianvernon.com/catalog/product_display.jsp?pdId=4190&parentCatId=2&catId=908&subCatId=904
had been looking for something for him to get attached to that is small enough for when we move back to the States and this is perfect, of course we got the blue one.
and we have a third present, for them both, a box of japanese legos for little hands… is great as the box doubles as a seat for the kids.
We don’t do big stuff, they’ll only get one toy each and I have sternly told the in-laws not to send toys (of course I have the excuse that we’ll be moving soon).
I just don’t want them to get used to the notion that Xmas = tons of toys.
We too have tons of books, but other than that we keep it simple… art supplies, playdough, craft stuff… I’m ordering some craft stuff from Oriental Trading for Morgan to do for Xmas, as decorations so she’s part of it all… maybe its something that could be useful for you and the girls (and the stuff is fairly cheap, sets of 6 or more, so if they get it wrong the first time it’s ok).
We’ll keep the focus on “making” rather than receiving… we’ll make cookies and brownies to give out to our friends and the crafts… so we’ll keep her busy without receiving much.
Charlotte // Nov 6, 2007 at 4:34 pm
The most lasting, value-for-money, gifts we have given our children have been face paints and a box of dressing-up things. The latter is not your average set of Disney Princess outfits but hats, scarves and T-shirts that I no longer wear, outfits sewn by grandmothers, belts and beads. They make the most wonderful outfits and then paint themselves and their little brother.
Mandy // Nov 6, 2007 at 10:00 pm
For me the issue is getting all 4 of my children’s grandparents to stop buying all the toys that are beginning to crowd me and my husband out of the house!
Thordora // Nov 7, 2007 at 4:49 am
Yeah Mandy, I think some discussions need to be had reinforcing how we’d prefer they buy a cow for someone in Africa than more crap for our kids.
And are my kids the only ones who hate dress up? They have never cared for it. Rosalyn is very much mechanically inclined, and Vivian tends to have her toys communicate when she’s not building stuff, but neither show much of a desire for dress up or dolls. It’s weird.
We make cookies for the neighbours who are friendly with us. It helps when you need a favour.
Perhaps more art supplies then. They love the craft bin…
SJ // Nov 8, 2007 at 11:03 am
for the relatives, museum/zoo memberships are nice, useful and clutter free (or $ towards such, if they are too pricey)
another favorite with my 2.5 from last year was a subscription to Babybug - we might ask for an upgrade to Ladybug (for older kids) this year - but he has really loved getting the magazine in the mail.
he is really into trains and we don’t actually have much so we are having a train set chanukah (shopping is done, chanukah is early this year!)
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