Queen of t
Just wondering because I was watching super nanny and on almost every show they go to a house that is FULL of toys. Some parents have complete rooms filled w/ toys or the entire basement is dedicated too just toys because the garage is already full.
How many toys do your kids have? Is it because of accumulation (old toys that have not been thrown/given away) or just because you/family/friends buy them that many toys?
Do you have a toy rule (if you buy a toy than another has to be given away)?
What is your limit? Do you have limits on toys?
I remember growing up and not having that many toys. I had one toy box and it was filled with books, dolls, trophies, and random stuff I made at school and that was it. My mom would go through it and clear it out ever year and give some if it away.
Answer
My kids are older now, but when they were little, they had waaay too many toys. That's because they had four sets of grandparents with nothing better to do than shop for my kids!
We ended up "rotating" toys. I'd put most of them up in storage, and every month or so I'd switch them out. That kept them all new and fresh. We also put certain toys aside for special occassions - some to take with us on trips, some for when they were sick, some for mommy's "project days" (days when I was really busy working on a project and needed them to be entertained for a while).
My kids are older now, but when they were little, they had waaay too many toys. That's because they had four sets of grandparents with nothing better to do than shop for my kids!
We ended up "rotating" toys. I'd put most of them up in storage, and every month or so I'd switch them out. That kept them all new and fresh. We also put certain toys aside for special occassions - some to take with us on trips, some for when they were sick, some for mommy's "project days" (days when I was really busy working on a project and needed them to be entertained for a while).
When do your kids get toys? Only Birthday's and Christmas?
Jessica Vo
When I was little if it wasn't your B-day or Christmas or didn't come from a happy meal we weren't getting any toys. However, some of my daughter (age 4) friends have SO many toys. A ridiculous amount, and they get them pretty much every visit to the store. My nephew (age 9) is the same way and he doesn't even use them. Is this the norm nowadays? My kids usually only get gifts on B-days, Christmas and depending on how they do report cards. I used to do progress reports also until one time my then 8 year old son bought me all A's on his progress report than when his actual report card came out he had an "Unacceptable" in behavior lol. Which I actually found pretty funny.
@Betty white and I am: Lol you guy's are hilarious ahahahah.
@Mike Super Soakers aren't toys. They are necessities lol. We usually get new ones every easter not just for the kids. YOU WANNA GO TO WAR?
Answer
First. My daughter was born at the end of November... so basically she gets some toys for her birthday, and then more on Christmas, or more toys on her birthday and a skimpy Christmas from family. My sister grew up with a birthday like that and resented my June birthday. Well guess what, my son has a June birthday. :/ I don't want her resenting that he gets more toys, no one else but me has a birthday in June so he gets a party to himself (she shares November with 7 others I think at last count...), and it's summer so his party can be a water-gun fight and such.
Secondly, I homeschool with my kids, so if I buy my daughter a puzzle that's not exactly a toy. Neither are most coloring books, crayons, etc. Even things like hotwheel cars become experiments in how things move. Play-doh, especially, is educational. Maybe I'm making excuses here, but if something is bought and I use it educationally then I see it more as a tool than a toy.
Third, when I was growing up in the 80's during the recession we got an allowance and used that to buy toys for ourselves, along with doing chores. My kids are too young for an allowance yet, and when they do I'm not exactly going to hand them money but more help them buy what they want and take it out of a 'fund' that they manage like a checking account. But basically if I spend $4-10 a month on toys then that's about what I'd expect to be spending on allowance ANYWAY (a dollar a week for both, or about $8.)
Fourth, the worst time to buy toys is right before Christmas. The best time to buy toys is after Christmas and during sales. If I find, say, a wooden Cars Puzzle with 4 different scenes in a wooden carrying case for $3 instead of $10, then putting it off until Christmas means it won't be there.
Fifth, Christmas in my house is more about Christ. I actually make my kids wait to open any presents until either the day after Christmas if people are pushy, up until New Years day. I don't want the only times they get new toys to be Christmas and Birthday because it puts a LOT of emphasis on those days better rock and less appreciation for just the one or two presents they may get. My kids typically get 3-7 presents for their birthday, depending on family who comes. I don't want them to start getting "you only brought me a $3 present... gee thanks." because all the emphasis is now on getting toys. Instead, I want them to realize that the party is to celebrate them being born and to have fun, the toys are a bonus and you can always get more toys.
So, basically my kids get toys through the year if it's a good price, teaching them that if there is something you want then watch for it to go on sale and save up for it (they get told if we don't have enough money to buy that right now but will when we save up enough.) My daughter's toys are almost 80% all reused (ie, we find them at garage sales, goodwill, ARC, ebay, etc. Sometimes they're broken and I have to stitch them back together again.) She's 3 and she donates a LOT of toys every year to a Christmas group that gives toys to families with kids at Christmas and they're trying to work up to a birthday fund as well, so if we buy a reused toy, fix it up, and she loves it for a year then donates it... well...
We almost never buy toys at full price though. If it's not on sale then she will agree that we can wait for it to go on sale and watch for it, meanwhile saving up. I like the attitude she's having towards toys right now to be honest, and her excitement about her birthday being more about the type of cake we'll make than the toys she'll get.
First. My daughter was born at the end of November... so basically she gets some toys for her birthday, and then more on Christmas, or more toys on her birthday and a skimpy Christmas from family. My sister grew up with a birthday like that and resented my June birthday. Well guess what, my son has a June birthday. :/ I don't want her resenting that he gets more toys, no one else but me has a birthday in June so he gets a party to himself (she shares November with 7 others I think at last count...), and it's summer so his party can be a water-gun fight and such.
Secondly, I homeschool with my kids, so if I buy my daughter a puzzle that's not exactly a toy. Neither are most coloring books, crayons, etc. Even things like hotwheel cars become experiments in how things move. Play-doh, especially, is educational. Maybe I'm making excuses here, but if something is bought and I use it educationally then I see it more as a tool than a toy.
Third, when I was growing up in the 80's during the recession we got an allowance and used that to buy toys for ourselves, along with doing chores. My kids are too young for an allowance yet, and when they do I'm not exactly going to hand them money but more help them buy what they want and take it out of a 'fund' that they manage like a checking account. But basically if I spend $4-10 a month on toys then that's about what I'd expect to be spending on allowance ANYWAY (a dollar a week for both, or about $8.)
Fourth, the worst time to buy toys is right before Christmas. The best time to buy toys is after Christmas and during sales. If I find, say, a wooden Cars Puzzle with 4 different scenes in a wooden carrying case for $3 instead of $10, then putting it off until Christmas means it won't be there.
Fifth, Christmas in my house is more about Christ. I actually make my kids wait to open any presents until either the day after Christmas if people are pushy, up until New Years day. I don't want the only times they get new toys to be Christmas and Birthday because it puts a LOT of emphasis on those days better rock and less appreciation for just the one or two presents they may get. My kids typically get 3-7 presents for their birthday, depending on family who comes. I don't want them to start getting "you only brought me a $3 present... gee thanks." because all the emphasis is now on getting toys. Instead, I want them to realize that the party is to celebrate them being born and to have fun, the toys are a bonus and you can always get more toys.
So, basically my kids get toys through the year if it's a good price, teaching them that if there is something you want then watch for it to go on sale and save up for it (they get told if we don't have enough money to buy that right now but will when we save up enough.) My daughter's toys are almost 80% all reused (ie, we find them at garage sales, goodwill, ARC, ebay, etc. Sometimes they're broken and I have to stitch them back together again.) She's 3 and she donates a LOT of toys every year to a Christmas group that gives toys to families with kids at Christmas and they're trying to work up to a birthday fund as well, so if we buy a reused toy, fix it up, and she loves it for a year then donates it... well...
We almost never buy toys at full price though. If it's not on sale then she will agree that we can wait for it to go on sale and watch for it, meanwhile saving up. I like the attitude she's having towards toys right now to be honest, and her excitement about her birthday being more about the type of cake we'll make than the toys she'll get.
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