The Great Toy Takeover

As we approach another Christmas, I look around at the huge toy collection
and despair. At this rate, we will need to build an addition to the house
for the toys to live in!

It's not that I don't go through and try "thin" on a regular basis--I do. I
can generally get rid of a grocery bag or two full every month. The problem
is that, with three kids at different stages and of both genders, it's
getting harder and harder for me to find things I can reasonably get rid of.
Almost *everything* gets played with at least once a week. The few things
that don't are either things that require adult assistance to set up or the
boys are "between" them (i.e., Julian's too old for the Thomas train set any
longer and Aurora doesn't care much about it, but Vernon is going to be all
over it in a few months). And then there are the things I can't reasonably
get rid of because someone in the family who visits regularly gave it as a
gift (like the huge teddy bear that my SIL gave my daughter yesterday--like
we need even *one* more small stuffed animal, let alone one 3' long!)

So I've thinned to a point where I feel I can't thin much more and it's
still too much. And Christmas is coming. Every year, we try to keep the
present load to a minimum, but between the things that my husband and I know
the kids really want and the things they get from family members, it's
always a boatload. So I'm afraid, very afraid.

Help?
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [20mo] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Rejuvinate your skin." -- Hydroderm ad

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

Every year before Christmas, from the time my brother and I were 2 or 3yo,
my parents would help us go through the toy collection and choose the ones
we had really enjoyed and thought another child would enjoy as well. These
toys would then be cleaned up, and we would take them to the local Salvation
Army or other charity to be redistributed.

This exercise was always preceded by talking about how lucky we were, that
we had a good home and family and plenty to eat; and how there were a lot
of kids not nearly as lucky as us and we should share with them.

Oh dear, that description makes the exercise sound *way* too preachy--it
wasn't, and it wasn't a once a year theme either. My parents were really
big on caring for others, both my brother and I were raised to have lots of
empathy.

Anyway, I remember one year, I was maybe three at the time, and my mom came
to us and explained that Santa needed some help this year: his elves were
sick and might not be able to get all the toys made in time. If we would
give some of our toys to other kids, it would really help Santa out. My bro
and I both felt very happy and responsible to be asked to help out
Santa--the chore that year was finding toys "good enough" to be from a
Santa's helper.

I hope I do as well with my boys :-)

Marie
Chris and Alex--born 04/23/03 at 31wks gestational :-)
Meet the Kidlets at http://ca.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/mmcw2

"Circe" wrote in message
news:9RUpb.3410$7B2.3286@fed1read04...
As we approach another Christmas, I look around at the huge toy collection
and despair. At this rate, we will need to build an addition to the house
for the toys to live in!

It's not that I don't go through and try "thin" on a regular basis--I do.
I
can generally get rid of a grocery bag or two full every month. The
problem
is that, with three kids at different stages and of both genders, it's
getting harder and harder for me to find things I can reasonably get rid
of.
Almost *everything* gets played with at least once a week. The few things
that don't are either things that require adult assistance to set up or
the
boys are "between" them (i.e., Julian's too old for the Thomas train set
any
longer and Aurora doesn't care much about it, but Vernon is going to be
all
over it in a few months). And then there are the things I can't reasonably
get rid of because someone in the family who visits regularly gave it as a
gift (like the huge teddy bear that my SIL gave my daughter
yesterday--like
we need even *one* more small stuffed animal, let alone one 3' long!)

So I've thinned to a point where I feel I can't thin much more and it's
still too much. And Christmas is coming. Every year, we try to keep the
present load to a minimum, but between the things that my husband and I
know
the kids really want and the things they get from family members, it's
always a boatload. So I'm afraid, very afraid.

Help?
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [20mo] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Rejuvinate your skin." -- Hydroderm ad

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

"Marie" wrote in message
le.rogers.com...
Every year before Christmas, from the time my brother and I were 2 or 3yo,
my parents would help us go through the toy collection and choose the ones
we had really enjoyed and thought another child would enjoy as well.
These
toys would then be cleaned up, and we would take them to the local
Salvation
Army or other charity to be redistributed.

Well, I did this with Julian last year (Aurora really wasn't old enough to
understand) and we actually do it periodically throughout the year. The
problem is that he too often picks things that he's outgrown but that either
Aurora or Vernon is just starting to get into. I can't see giving away a toy
that hasn't been "completely played with", if you know what I mean g! It
doesn't help that hubby and I are still fence-sitting about a fourth
child--I've gotten rid of most of the real "baby" toys at this point but am
still hanging onto a few favorites just in case. It seems ridiculous to give
something away just to buy it again!

This exercise was always preceded by talking about how lucky we were, that
we had a good home and family and plenty to eat; and how there were a lot
of kids not nearly as lucky as us and we should share with them.

Oh dear, that description makes the exercise sound *way* too preachy--it
wasn't, and it wasn't a once a year theme either. My parents were really
big on caring for others, both my brother and I were raised to have lots
of
empathy.

No, I know what you mean, and believe me, we've done this. It's just never
enough! Sob Honestly, how it got so out-of-hand, I have no idea, except
that we are far too soft-hearted as parents when it comes to toys and have a
bunch of soft-hearted relatives and friends who always bring loads of gifts
to every birthday party and what have you.

I'm planning another pass before Christmas with input from both Aurora and
Julian, I'm sure it will help--just probably not as much as a I'd like. I
think my problem is that in my heart of hearts, I'm really aiming for Zen,
but children are the Anti-Zen. I probably just need to get over it.

Thanks for the thoughts, though!
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [20mo] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Rejuvinate your skin." -- Hydroderm ad

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

I'm planning another pass before Christmas with input from both Aurora and
Julian, I'm sure it will help--just probably not as much as a I'd like. I
think my problem is that in my heart of hearts, I'm really aiming for Zen,
but children are the Anti-Zen. I probably just need to get over it.

Thanks for the thoughts, though!
--
Be well, Barbara


Hee hee. Anti-Zen. That's what *I* am! :-)

You just need more storage solutions. Some of what you'd otherwise spend on
toys this year should go instead to more bookshelves, toy chests, closet
organizing systems, or whatever similar items you need to help contain the
chaos. There is a *lot* of unused space in most people's homes, if you know
where to look for it.

My DH and I keep saying we need to build a multi-level parking garage in our
dining room, as the toy vehicles are beginning to exceed the floor space
limits. ;-)

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs

"HollyLewis" wrote in message
...
You just need more storage solutions. Some of what you'd otherwise spend
on
toys this year should go instead to more bookshelves, toy chests, closet
organizing systems, or whatever similar items you need to help contain the
chaos. There is a *lot* of unused space in most people's homes, if you
know
where to look for it.

Well, part of our problem is that our kids *never* play in their rooms. I
mean NE-VER. They want to play in the living room where we are and where all
the rest of the action is. So their toys are in our living room. And believe
me, they are in boxes, bookshelves, tubs, cases, etc. They're still all
overflowing. Plus, the nightmare of keeping track of which things belong
where, particularly when there are several caregivers and none of them are
as AR as I am g!
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [20mo] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Rejuvinate your skin." -- Hydroderm ad

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 13:28:49 -0800, "Circe" wrote:

So I've thinned to a point where I feel I can't thin much more and it's
still too much. And Christmas is coming. Every year, we try to keep the
present load to a minimum, but between the things that my husband and I know
the kids really want and the things they get from family members, it's
always a boatload. So I'm afraid, very afraid.

Help?

Try packing toys in bins and rotating bins instead of having a lot out
all the time.

Perhaps you can put all the tween toys in storage?


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 16:34:26 -0800, "Circe" wrote:

And believe
me, they are in boxes, bookshelves, tubs, cases, etc. They're still all
overflowing. Plus, the nightmare of keeping track of which things belong
where, particularly when there are several caregivers and none of them are
as AR as I am g!

But if you put the toys in their rooms, then they will want to be
there instead of in your living room.

Or alternatively, do you have a *family room* or *playroom*
or can you make one room into one?


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

"toto" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 16:34:26 -0800, "Circe" wrote:
And believe
me, they are in boxes, bookshelves, tubs, cases, etc. They're still all
overflowing. Plus, the nightmare of keeping track of which things belong
where, particularly when there are several caregivers and none of them
are
as AR as I am g!

But if you put the toys in their rooms, then they will want to be
there instead of in your living room.

No, they won't. Their bedroom is upstairs at the far end of the house. It's
just so far away from the center of family life that they feel banished if I
try to get them to play up there. There *are* some toys in their room, but
they won't play with them up there. If they want to play with something
that's in their room, it comes downstairs. If I put their toys up there,
they'd either drag them all back downstairs or moan that there was nothing
to play with in the living room where they want to be.

Frankly, I don't *want* them to play in their room that much. Given their
ages, they still need a fair amount of supervision. If they were playing in
their room while I tried to cook dinner in the kitchen a full floor down, a
lot of bad things could happen before I'd either hear them or get to them.
When they're a half-floor away in the living room, monitoring them is much
easier.

Or alternatively, do you have a *family room* or *playroom*
or can you make one room into one?

Well, our living room really *is* the family room/playroom. My WAH office is
downstairs in the "official" family room, and I certainly wouldn't want all
their toys down here!
--
Be well, Barbara
(Julian [6], Aurora [4], and Vernon's [20mo] mom)

This week's special at the English Language Butcher Shop:
"Rejuvinate your skin." -- Hydroderm ad

Daddy: You're up with the chickens this morning.
Aurora: No, I'm up with my dolls!

All opinions expressed in this post are well-reasoned and insightful.
Needless to say, they are not those of my Internet Service Provider, its
other subscribers or lackeys. Anyone who says otherwise is itchin' for a
fight. -- with apologies to Michael Feldman

In article azXpb.3436$7B2.939@fed1read04, Circe says...

"HollyLewis" wrote in message
...
You just need more storage solutions. Some of what you'd otherwise spend
on
toys this year should go instead to more bookshelves, toy chests, closet
organizing systems, or whatever similar items you need to help contain the
chaos. There is a *lot* of unused space in most people's homes, if you
know
where to look for it.

Well, part of our problem is that our kids *never* play in their rooms. I
mean NE-VER. They want to play in the living room where we are and where all
the rest of the action is. So their toys are in our living room. And believe
me, they are in boxes, bookshelves, tubs, cases, etc. They're still all
overflowing. Plus, the nightmare of keeping track of which things belong
where, particularly when there are several caregivers and none of them are
as AR as I am g!

Yeah - that idea struck me as more decluttering than charity - but, hey, I'm
sure the Goodwill folks know why I'm periodically donating to their charity ;-)
(BTW, my local Goodwill won't take toys anymore - anyone else? Does Salvation
Army still?)

My son also wants to play where the action is. Plus, he sets up stuff and wants
to go back to it - Lego setups, battle scenes, car and truck scenarios. So
put-it-awa-at-the-end-of-the-day would really break up his play. So I've ended
up with stuff ALL OVER the house for many years.

It's only now that he's eleven that I've been going through decluttering the
house, and making a rule that toys go only 1. in his room and 2. the downstairs
room I've just fixed up again. We have a joint hobby room, though.

Um - what's "AR"?

Banty

In article , HollyLewis says...

I'm planning another pass before Christmas with input from both Aurora and
Julian, I'm sure it will help--just probably not as much as a I'd like. I
think my problem is that in my heart of hearts, I'm really aiming for Zen,
but children are the Anti-Zen. I probably just need to get over it.

Thanks for the thoughts, though!
--
Be well, Barbara


Hee hee. Anti-Zen. That's what *I* am! :-)

You just need more storage solutions. Some of what you'd otherwise spend on
toys this year should go instead to more bookshelves, toy chests, closet
organizing systems, or whatever similar items you need to help contain the
chaos. There is a *lot* of unused space in most people's homes, if you know
where to look for it.

Yeah sure - up the walls, suspended over my bed, on top of the lamps.... :-)


My DH and I keep saying we need to build a multi-level parking garage in our
dining room, as the toy vehicles are beginning to exceed the floor space
limits. ;-)

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs


I already have a multi-level parking garage in the TV room. Really. It just
went to the downstairs den, though.

Banty