"choosing" gifts for kids

Maybe this is too high tech . . .

But I just took the batteries out.
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care


We give them the toy without ever putting batteries in it. Works till they
go to a friend's house and see the same toy *with batteries* - lol.
(Happened with a Sit N Spin.)

Really, really tacky.

I resent beging suggested to contribute to someone else's charity.

Banty


I don't like that either. And to me that's like including the registry
info. I hate being told where to shop and what to buy. I actually *like*
looking for a gift for a friend's child or one of my kids' friends.

When girls play
with them, they don't think of slutty things like adults do about them. They
play house with them or make up different things to act out with Barbie.

So true. Shaina has pretty much outgrown Barbies, but she had quite a few when
she was in the 4-8 age range, and played with them often. She never spent time
changing their clothes (mostly becuse she tended to lose their clothes).
Instead, they were the teachers to the class of beanie babies in a game of
school, or the characters in a fantasy game of princesses and dragons, or
house, or ice skater, or school bus driver and kids ... or whatever other game
she came up with. Sure, she could have used other dolls if available, but the
Barbies were adults (rather than babies /kids like her other dolls, so better
suited to the adult roles), and were a comfortable size to hold in one hand for
that kind of multiple-character fantasy play.
And no, she's never expressed the slightest interest in or belief that her
figure is supposed to look just like Barbie's, or that she needs to traipse
around in high heels.


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 10:58:21 -0700, "Circe" wrote:

Marie wrote:
I have no idea why people think Barbie is mandantory for
girls.

Maybe because the typical 4-6yo girl likes them and they're not exactly the
spawn of the devil?

Yep; it's Barney that's the spawn of the devil.

"Kathy Cole" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 2 Aug 2004 10:58:21 -0700, "Circe" wrote:

Marie wrote:
I have no idea why people think Barbie is mandantory for
girls.

Maybe because the typical 4-6yo girl likes them and they're not exactly
the
spawn of the devil?

Yep; it's Barney that's the spawn of the devil.

I *like* Barney, though we don't watch it at home because we would need to
install a rubber room for DH. Years ago, when I traveled for work, I would
turn it on in the hotel in the am.

will never see a non-noisemaking toy from that family. Arrghh...




Here's a very helpful tip passed on to me by a fellow parent:
Burn a candle and let the melting wax drip in to the speaker of the very
noisy toy. This muffles the sound while still allowing the child to enjoy
the toy. It doesn't hurt the toy at all either. May void any warranty,
but
at least your ears won't hurt!
Peggy



My DH takes of the cover and stuffs something, cotton balls or paper towel,
in. Then screws teh cover back on. It does the same thing without the hot
wax.

S

Maybe this is too high tech . . .

But I just took the batteries out.

LOL!


--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

you know why little girls like barbie dolls and little boys like trucks so they
can imagine themselves being barbie and pretend to have her life. As for
little boys liking trucks and cars they like to imagine they are driving them.
Heck I know a little girl who has trucks and cars and barbies and plays with
them all equally imagining with them. Barbie is sterotyped but really its just
a toy for your daughter to pretend with and to boost her imagination.

Jennifer
Ariana 8/17/03

Sophie wrote:
Is it appropriate to mention that you prefer/do not prefer certain
kinds of gifts in a birthday party? For example, is it okay to say in
the birthday invite something like "please bring only a small book as
a present"? In fact I would love to say "please donot bring anything
related to barbie" but I know that sounds off. Personally I detest
barbie dolls and I would be very disappointed if my kid(s) like barbie
stuff LOL. I'm not the pink and frilly kind and I don't want them to
be either.


When people RSVP they usually ask what the child would like. I say then no
play-doh or whatever I don't like.



I've seen this suggestion a couple places. I never ask
the parent when I RSVP what gift the child wants -- I
usually ask DS or DD what the birthday kid wants; after
all, it's DD/DS who will be at the party giving the
gift, so I figure they should decide what to give. If
DD/DS doesn't know the kid well enough to know what
they'd like, I think long and hard about sending them
to the party.

I've also never (that I remember) told someone not to
give DD or DS such and such gift. It's far easier
to accept the gift graciously, and then after the
party put it away. This also teaches DD/DS that not
all gifts are what you really want, and that it is
important to express delight when you get a gift, even
if the delight is fake.

Scott DD 11 and DS 8

Scott wrote in message . ..
Sophie wrote:
Is it appropriate to mention that you prefer/do not prefer certain
kinds of gifts in a birthday party? For example, is it okay to say in
the birthday invite something like "please bring only a small book as
a present"? In fact I would love to say "please donot bring anything
related to barbie" but I know that sounds off. Personally I detest
barbie dolls and I would be very disappointed if my kid(s) like barbie
stuff LOL. I'm not the pink and frilly kind and I don't want them to
be either.


When people RSVP they usually ask what the child would like. I say then no
play-doh or whatever I don't like.



I've seen this suggestion a couple places. I never ask
the parent when I RSVP what gift the child wants -- I
usually ask DS or DD what the birthday kid wants; after
all, it's DD/DS who will be at the party giving the
gift, so I figure they should decide what to give. If
DD/DS doesn't know the kid well enough to know what
they'd like, I think long and hard about sending them
to the party.

That works better with older kids. I think the OP's dd is turning
either 2 or 3, so her "friends" would be unlikely to know what she
would want!

Irene