PSA Don’t give gifts that require parent to do most of activity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simple fix: “no gifts please.”

This! Don’t ask for gifts and then complain about the ones you get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are my kids favorite gifts. I understand you are just venting, but if you really hate them then exchange them.

This sewing gift is the absolute worst gift ever. Rainbow loom right there also. Science gift isn’t so bad.

Really? My STEM-oriented daughter loved sewing when she was little. It's in the same category as Legos for me. Brain-to-hand work. You ever heard of that story with action video games and surgeons?

Maybe you don't want to air your ignorance all over DCUM, PP.

That’s not ignorance that’s her opinion.

[Anonymous]

I don't give any gift a kid can't do by themselves.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely hate when people give us the gem paint kits. Now when is see them I put them straight into the trash.

[Anonymous]

Gifts that were projects went into a high shelf in our front closet. Then on rainy days, or when we had no good ideas for activities, or a babysitter was coming over or whenever we needed an activity we pulled something from the project shelf. It worked wonderfully.

[Anonymous]

People are being too hard on OP. I get it. I felt this way about Lego set gifts when my kid was 5 or so, because she couldnt put them together herself but doing it with her was so tedious to me. I know some people enjoy it but I don't. I love reading toy kid, doing any kind of arts and crafts, but ugh Legos.

It's not like OP is being rude to the person who have the gift. She's just venting about something that is annoying her. And in the process might cause others to think harder about getting more age appropriate gifts for kids-- this happens because people give gifts that are beyond the ability of the child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP,

The No Gift Party was meant for you.

You will never be happy with any gift, since you refuse to actually interact with your child. She'll ask you to read her the book if the gift is a book; you'll be offended at a video game; your child will want to play with the toy you so rudely and unthinkingly demand... *with* you!

The reality here is that your child is craving time with you that you are not giving her.

Make your peace with that, or choose to address it, but stop blaming others for your own inadequacies.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are being too hard on OP. I get it. I felt this way about Lego set gifts when my kid was 5 or so, because she couldnt put them together herself but doing it with her was so tedious to me. I know some people enjoy it but I don't. I love reading toy kid, doing any kind of arts and crafts, but ugh Legos.

It's not like OP is being rude to the person who have the gift. She's just venting about something that is annoying her. And in the process might cause others to think harder about getting more age appropriate gifts for kids-- this happens because people give gifts that are beyond the ability of the child.

I don’t think extra thought will help though — I would love to do Lego sets or sewing or rainbow loom with my kid but absolutely do not want to play dolls with her and have a younger child so kind of hate things like marble runs where choking hazards are a big part of the toy. Basically there what it comes down to is that every parent/kid duo will enjoy different toys as presents and parents are generally choosing stuff they enjoy doing with their kids and that isn’t universal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are my kids favorite gifts. I understand you are just venting, but if you really hate them then exchange them.

This sewing gift is the absolute worst gift ever. Rainbow loom right there also. Science gift isn’t so bad.

Really? My STEM-oriented daughter loved sewing when she was little. It's in the same category as Legos for me. Brain-to-hand work. You ever heard of that story with action video games and surgeons?

Maybe you don't want to air your ignorance all over DCUM, PP.

It’s not that it’s sewing that’s the problem, it’s that the sewing kits for kids are sub-par and therefore difficult to use. Dull needles, fraying fabric, weak thread, etc., so parents have to help to avoid meltdown.

- NP who sews, knits, crochets and has a PhD in the hard sciences and binned all the needlecraft gifts my “future engineer” got in favor of a real sewing machine and good, but not expensive, materials.

I commiserate so much with the OP - my daughter gets so many craft kits and science kits because of my background. They require so much set-up and tweaking to get to work, it’s really frustrating. I’ve also been guilty of getting these for her and as gifts, so I don’t blame the parents - it’s the quality of the kits that’s the problem.

[Anonymous]

Sorry lady, kids aren’t robots. You cant sit them and forget them.

[Anonymous]

Ant Farm

[Anonymous]

If you have a kids party that’s not “no gifts,” you reap what you sow.

[Anonymous]

Those are my favorite gifts to receive! We love to sit and do craft projects together. But my dd can do a lot of them on her own.

I was surprised when she had her party how many people gave actual toys. Like Barbies or animal figures. Dd just never got into that stuff although she loves stuffed animals.

[Anonymous]

I too save a lot of those for rainy days. We have a summer nanny and I’m saving them for her. They can pull out one a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are my kids favorite gifts. I understand you are just venting, but if you really hate them then exchange them.

This sewing gift is the absolute worst gift ever. Rainbow loom right there also. Science gift isn’t so bad.

Really? My STEM-oriented daughter loved sewing when she was little. It's in the same category as Legos for me. Brain-to-hand work. You ever heard of that story with action video games and surgeons?

Maybe you don't want to air your ignorance all over DCUM, PP.

It’s not that it’s sewing that’s the problem, it’s that the sewing kits for kids are sub-par and therefore difficult to use. Dull needles, fraying fabric, weak thread, etc., so parents have to help to avoid meltdown.

- NP who sews, knits, crochets and has a PhD in the hard sciences and binned all the needlecraft gifts my “future engineer” got in favor of a real sewing machine and good, but not expensive, materials.

I commiserate so much with the OP - my daughter gets so many craft kits and science kits because of my background. They require so much set-up and tweaking to get to work, it’s really frustrating. I’ve also been guilty of getting these for her and as gifts, so I don’t blame the parents - it’s the quality of the kits that’s the problem.

Agree with this. I do not like the specific craft kits because often the materials really suck, plus they are usually engineered so they can only be done one way, which means they easily frustrate kids (and adults) because there's no room for error.

I'd MUCH rather get a general craft kit or crafting supplies that can be used a variety of ways. Like instead of a little beading kit that helps you make several specific pieces of jewelry, give one that just has a bunch of beads and materials and you can do whatever you want. Or instead of a kit where you paint one specific ceramic in one way, just give paints and appropriate paper for them.

I just think the very specific kits are a rip off and ultimately not that fun.