If anyone gives my kids toys for Christmas, I might scream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tell them the kids don’t play with the toys and you give them away.

Aw this is so mean. Don't say it like that.

I think it is fair to say "hey, we have really limited storage space in our house -- can you limit it to one toy per kid?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

Shut up fool

+1

[Anonymous]

Gifting "experiences" to young kids like your ages OP is totally LAME for the kid and gift-giver! No 7 yr old is excited to open a piece of paper that says "zoo membership". Like, wooohooooo, now we have free parking at the zoo -- how exciting for him! Perhaps a big trip to Disney World or the like could go down differently, but that's not the price range you are talking. If you want to re-brand "experiences", classes, enrichment, etc. that you should be getting your kid anyways as Christmas gifts, then you -- the parents -- should be stuck with that lameness!

HOWEVER, it is admittedly irksome when you give the grandparents actual specific gift suggestions, like the ninja course, for example, and they then ignore them in favor for a bunch of redundant items instead. I hear you on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

Shut up fool

Hi grandma. Stop making huge TJ Max hauls. No one wants it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Btw, OP -- and I say this genuinely and not with snark -- I'm sure there are lots of kids who would love your excess toys. Check with Head Starts, domestic violence shelters, charities that work with foster kids...etc.

It’s surprisingly hard to donate used toys.

No it’s really not. Tons of places will take them if they’re in good condition. And goodwill will take essentially anything no matter the condition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

Shut up fool

+1

+1. Poor, poor OP, drowning in quality toys. GMAFB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Btw, OP -- and I say this genuinely and not with snark -- I'm sure there are lots of kids who would love your excess toys. Check with Head Starts, domestic violence shelters, charities that work with foster kids...etc.

It’s surprisingly hard to donate used toys.

No it’s really not. Tons of places will take them if they’re in good condition. And goodwill will take essentially anything no matter the condition.

^this; I think it was hard during COVID bc there was a lot of germophobia about donated goods. But I've had luck with asking my daycare if they wanted extra toys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

Are you practicing Jehovah Witnesses? If so, just tell people. They will understand gifts are not part of the culture.

[Anonymous]

Idea for you:

Legendary actress Joan Crawford is infamous for making her children give all of their toys to charity and to the destitute. She was extremely vigilant regarding this practice and there would be no exceptions. Perhaps you could implement this practice in your home. This will keep the gifts out of your home while teaching your children the joy of giving.

[Anonymous]

Tell Grandparents they can give kids each x number of gifts, anything else they would like to buy can stay at their house to be played with there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

Shut up fool

She’s insufferable

+1

+1. Poor, poor OP, drowning in quality toys. GMAFB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

Shut up fool

+1

+1. Poor, poor OP, drowning in quality toys. GMAFB.

She’s insufferable

[Anonymous]

Gifts are not your chance to get other people to buy the things that you want to give your children. Unless you are in dire finances and kids really need backpacks or coats or something, let the giver decide the gift.

If the giver is upset because the kids don't like or care about the gifts, that's a different story.

But grandparents don't have to buy the crap you want to give your kids. That's your job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gifts are not your chance to get other people to buy the things that you want to give your children. Unless you are in dire finances and kids really need backpacks or coats or something, let the giver decide the gift.

If the giver is upset because the kids don't like or care about the gifts, that's a different story.

But grandparents don't have to buy the crap you want to give your kids. That's your job.

Could not agree more with this, and I think you'd get almost universal agreement from all posters here. That doesn't mean it's polite for giver to deluge you with cheap crap. Kind of like when I bought toilet paper for my elderly parents during the pandemic, but accidentally ordered them a commercial-sized pallet of tp. Sure my heart was in the right place, but they can't fit all that tp in their house. If I had done that on purpose, they could rightfully be annoyed with me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is 7.5 and for 7.5 years, we have asked for no toys for Christmas. Experiences, large items (basketball hoop), etc. Nope. Grandparents insist on toys…a LOT of them, because it’s “fun”.

We can’t return them once they’re open…I considered that. We get rid of stuff, but it is quality toys: nano bots, legos, coding critters…and my kids play with the items occasionally.

But we are drowning in toys. I have three boys now and we don’t need anything else. The 7.5 is close to aging out of “toys” and he already has legos galore, plus snap circuits etc.

I went a climbing dome, soccer goals, balls…

Has anyone managed to “break” grandparents of this toy obsession?!?

OP, you are kinda dramatic. Just thank them graciously and then donate the older toys to a charity or a school. It's really not as big a deal as you are making it.