I read an article on toy addiction. How many toys do your kids have? The rule in our home is that if it cannot fit on KayLynn's shelf, in her dress-up box, or in her toybox (minus her one ride-on toy and her kitchen) then it must go. Either it goes to a grandparents (the anoying talking dog went to Tam's - he he he!!), gets put away for when she is older and can enjoy it, or it goes to the CPC or other donation places. The exceptions to this are books and puzzles. All crafts go with mine.
Are your children toy-addicted? What do you do about it? What do you do with doting grandparents/aunts/uncles??
**ADDENDUM**
The above questions were not meant to be a slight on any people in KayLynn's life. She is loved and cherished and that means everythign to me. I am sure that the rest of you would agree with me, that if someone loves your child, it makes up for almost anything. That said...Shari, if you buy her a drum set - it is staying at YOUR house!!! :)
I like what Shari said about lessons. That is also Tam's view. She would rather give children her time, attention and experiences, than stuff. They last longer anyway and are worth far more. So I agree with the grandmas - give her your love, time and invest in her future!
5 comments:
I guess we will just keep the new drum set we got her here then.
I dread birthdays and Christmas because of the "great toy-dump" that seems to happen. We have tried to control it by keeping all toys save one basket in the playroom-where they all must fit in the toy bins or go! I can't stand lots of toys-too many toys and kids can't learn to care for what they do have. We also rotate out certain toys-seasonal mostly. I read an article by James Dobson on keeping toys under control-once his kids were able to understand the concept they were allowed a certain number of toys-if they got a new one an old one had to go. Joey is getting to where he can comprehend that. He helps me clean them out and we talk about giving it to someone else.
My big thing is not necessarily the number of toys, but learning to be a good steward of them-taking care, putting away, cleaning them . . .
In my opinion at least, none of us are really toy-addicted- probably because Curtis and I are too old, Reid and Jamie play outside most of the time when possible (and when they can't they play with Playmobile) and Jackson hasn't been given oodles of stuff. Stuff breaks, gets torn, or gets lost around here. The stuff that survives usually goes in the closet or under the bed in a bin unless it is played with frequently. Reid, Jamie, and Jackson are really the only ones around here who play with toys; Reid and Jamie love love love Playmobil, but don't play with much else, and Jack doesn't have a ton of toys either. In general, if it is never played with, it goes bye-bye. Our doting grandparents/aunts/uncles don't load us with gifts, either, so that's not a problem. In general, Mom goes through things and gives them to the GoodWill as she finds them.
-Haley
well land sakes, I guess I will get her ballet lessons and sparkle clothes and ice skating lessons and kung fu lessons and baton twirling lessons and scuba diving lessons and singing lessons and of course drum lessons to round her all out.
when I was a kid I got ballet, ice skating, and girl scouts, and finishing school. so maybe that is enough. but then I dont think my parents loved me as much as I do KayLynn. So she gets more. now everyone can read this and see what you have to put up with.
In rereading my above comment I realized the last sentence was rather vague. I meant that as we outgrow things Mom gives them away. :)
Haley
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