How often do you buy new toys for your kids?

[Anonymous]

With Christmas coming up, I’m wondering how often you buy toys for your kids?

I have a two-year old DS. Late September birthday. I’m trying not to raise a spoiled brat, and I don’t want to set the precedent that Christmas is a bonanza, but on the other hand, I want him to have some new puzzles, a play kitchen, and a few puppets. I’d like to dole these out over the year, but I don’t want to raise a spoiled brat who gets presents all the time.

Any advice for me?

[Anonymous]

Whenever we feel like they'd benefit from or really enjoy something. But we only give four Christmas gifts, so it's not like they get a ton of toys.

[Anonymous]

Our DS is 5 and I would say 3 new toys over a whole year. With Xmas and birthdays and presents from both sets of grandparents in addition to other family members, it’s more than enough. We also don’t let DS play with all the gifts and just get bored quick. We give him a few and put the rest in a closet. We then bring out a new toy every few months.

If your DC is only 2, he won’t even understand who is getting him what. The stuff you want, just make a Xmas list for the grandparents and other family members. Then get him 1 big gift or 2 small gifts from Santa. No need to get him anything from you at Xmas if he has other gifts to open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With Christmas coming up, I’m wondering how often you buy toys for your kids?

I have a two-year old DS. Late September birthday. I’m trying not to raise a spoiled brat, and I don’t want to set the precedent that Christmas is a bonanza, but on the other hand, I want him to have some new puzzles, a play kitchen, and a few puppets. I’d like to dole these out over the year, but I don’t want to raise a spoiled brat who gets presents all the time.

Any advice for me?

Op,

Get the ikea kid play stove, play food and puppets in the stocking, wrap a puzzle for under the tree. You will not raise a spoiled brat even if you dole out some presents throughout the years.

[Anonymous]

Mostly Christmas and birthday, with a few purchases for exceptional events, like solo recitals, etc...

[Anonymous]

A lot of people only give at Christmas and birthday. Also, it's pretty common to give at the holidays but rotate toys in and out of storage over the course of the following year so as not to overwhelm kids.

Also, by the preschool years we got into the habit of going through toys before the holidays to make room for presents, and donate to kids who don't have as much as us so they could use our toys. Perspective is as important in not raising a spoiled brat as the exact number of toys.

[Anonymous]

For random shiny crap: Christmas and birthdays. For toys that serve a larger purpose: puzzles, books, crafts, STEM or reading games etc. I will buy those in moderation at other times of the year either upon request if the timing/price feels right or as a surprise to introduce on a rainy or otherwise rough day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With Christmas coming up, I’m wondering how often you buy toys for your kids?

I have a two-year old DS. Late September birthday. I’m trying not to raise a spoiled brat, and I don’t want to set the precedent that Christmas is a bonanza, but on the other hand, I want him to have some new puzzles, a play kitchen, and a few puppets. I’d like to dole these out over the year, but I don’t want to raise a spoiled brat who gets presents all the time.

Any advice for me?

2 year old is too young for a big Christmas, I think . . . it just hypes them up but they don't really appreciate it. I would just get the play kitchen. Bring the puppets and puzzles out in Jan/Feb as winter gets long. They don't have to be "presents," just hey, let's play with this. Fun. At this age I think it's good to de-emphasize the idea of getting gifts as some special big deal. They just want to play and they don't really care where it comes from or whether it's their "property" beyond getting to use it when they want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With Christmas coming up, I’m wondering how often you buy toys for your kids?

I have a two-year old DS. Late September birthday. I’m trying not to raise a spoiled brat, and I don’t want to set the precedent that Christmas is a bonanza, but on the other hand, I want him to have some new puzzles, a play kitchen, and a few puppets. I’d like to dole these out over the year, but I don’t want to raise a spoiled brat who gets presents all the time.

Any advice for me?

But, for small kids especially, presents galore is what Christmas super fun and special. Brightly wrapped gifts under the tree. Things to open. Cool toys to play with. Dont you love having a (small) pile of presents to open too?

Let him enjoy opening his presents. After 2 days or so, rotate them out and/or stash in your rainy day closet and re-introduce in Feb when the weather is bleak and you need fresh toys.

[Anonymous]

Your obsession with “spoiled brats” is a huge turn-off, OP. It’s a horrible label to put on any kid, whether he gets toys in March as well as at Christmas and birthday-time or not.

[Anonymous]

We buy toys for our kid rather rarely. Once we bought a bean bag chair and the child now play in it, watch cartoons, read, etc. Here is the link if you are are interested of course: http://jonsguide.org/best-bean-bag-chairs-for-kids-reviews/

[Anonymous]

Constantly. Once a week or more. Usually it is my wife doing this.

[Anonymous]

I buy books and puzzles year round. Dd loves them and I consider them more educational than toys. She loves doing those Melissa and Doug puzzles.

[Anonymous]

I was uptight about gifts when my DD was younger and only did birthday in the spring, Christmas, and a rare toy in between. It was a stupid hill to die on but I wanted to prove that I was a “good” mom. Now I buy whenever I feel like the time is right. I said no or wait until Christmas/birthday for a few things that would have been so much better in the moment, especially during the late preschool years. Now in K I’m more likely to buy something (not shiny stuff like PP said- she can wait for Christmas to build her LOL Surprise doll army) soon after DD expresses interest because I want her to have the experience before the developmental stage passes.

I regret being uptight about a few things she wanted for her baby doll, for example. I’m not sure why, but I made her wait months and even a year for items she repeatedly asked for. I wish I’d just let her have it so she’s have as much time as possible to enjoy it before she gets deemed “too old” for dolls.

[Anonymous]

How often do you buy things you want for yourself, OP?

Would you consider yourself a “spoiled brat”?