I’ve already donated most of my kids (early) Christmas presents

[Anonymous]

You’re the saddest OP. Those poor kids and grandparents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses strike me as nuts. Yes, op, I've absolutely donated gifts basically upon opening. My kids never noticed. Sometimes when they were little I opened them before they did (if they were mailed to us) and donated before kids even saw them. We have a small apartment and kids have tons of toys here and at school. They're totally happy kids and hopefully the recipients of the donated toys were happy, too. Or maybe they regifted, also. Whatever!

You intercepted your kids gifts, opened them, and donated them before they even saw them?!?

Omg you win shitty parent of the year. And that’s saying a lot on DCUM.

If editing the barrage of crappy and age inappropriate toys that enter my apartment of a regular basis from well meaning but totally clueless extended family members makes me the shittiest parent of the year then you are totally out of touch with what true family dysfunction looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses strike me as nuts. Yes, op, I've absolutely donated gifts basically upon opening. My kids never noticed. Sometimes when they were little I opened them before they did (if they were mailed to us) and donated before kids even saw them. We have a small apartment and kids have tons of toys here and at school. They're totally happy kids and hopefully the recipients of the donated toys were happy, too. Or maybe they regifted, also. Whatever!

You intercepted your kids gifts, opened them, and donated them before they even saw them?!?

Omg you win shitty parent of the year. And that’s saying a lot on DCUM.

If editing the barrage of crappy and age inappropriate toys that enter my apartment of a regular basis from well meaning but totally clueless extended family members makes me the shittiest parent of the year then you are totally out of touch with what true family dysfunction looks like.

Plus it's much more valuable to donate a NEW IN BOX toy than one that's been opened and tossed around. I often set stuff aside immediately too. Why? Because they get SO MUCH STUFF from extended family. It's too much. So the stuff that I see but that I know will not be a favorite toy (like an 18 inch stuffed Moana doll or the 3rd paw patrol/character car) I tuck away, with the tags on or new in box. If my kid doesn't notice, well I donate it to someone who will love that toy.

It's a win win. The family feels good because they gave my kid a gift, my kid loved opening it, and I get it out of my house before anyone is attached to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses strike me as nuts. Yes, op, I've absolutely donated gifts basically upon opening. My kids never noticed. Sometimes when they were little I opened them before they did (if they were mailed to us) and donated before kids even saw them. We have a small apartment and kids have tons of toys here and at school. They're totally happy kids and hopefully the recipients of the donated toys were happy, too. Or maybe they regifted, also. Whatever!

You intercepted your kids gifts, opened them, and donated them before they even saw them?!?

Omg you win shitty parent of the year. And that’s saying a lot on DCUM.

If editing the barrage of crappy and age inappropriate toys that enter my apartment of a regular basis from well meaning but totally clueless extended family members makes me the shittiest parent of the year then you are totally out of touch with what true family dysfunction looks like.

It’s not the editing. It’s the taking of the gift before it even gets to the intended recipient. I’m sure you’d love it if your husband started intercepting your gifts and editing them as he sees fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow these responses strike me as nuts. Yes, op, I've absolutely donated gifts basically upon opening. My kids never noticed. Sometimes when they were little I opened them before they did (if they were mailed to us) and donated before kids even saw them. We have a small apartment and kids have tons of toys here and at school. They're totally happy kids and hopefully the recipients of the donated toys were happy, too. Or maybe they regifted, also. Whatever!

You intercepted your kids gifts, opened them, and donated them before they even saw them?!?

Omg you win shitty parent of the year. And that’s saying a lot on DCUM.

If editing the barrage of crappy and age inappropriate toys that enter my apartment of a regular basis from well meaning but totally clueless extended family members makes me the shittiest parent of the year then you are totally out of touch with what true family dysfunction looks like.

It’s not the editing. It’s the taking of the gift before it even gets to the intended recipient. I’m sure you’d love it if your husband started intercepting your gifts and editing them as he sees fit.

Agree. You suck op.

[Anonymous]

Lol this is a hilarious thread. Thank you OP

[Anonymous]

I just want to say that you can be happy your parents (in-laws?) are trying. The flip side is that they just send you a check for $200 and tell you to buy the presents for you. We have one set of grandparents who do the former (and sometimes buy ridiculous things) and one set who do the latter (and sometimes I have to rack my brain to think of something good to buy for my kids with their money) but I’m grateful for all of them. And while I’m grateful for the money I’ve actually grown more and more endeared to the set of grandparents who send the sometimes weird gifts, and those gifts never get thrown out (or seldom get thrown out I should say) because those gifts were picked out by special people, and they connect my kids to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just want to say that you can be happy your parents (in-laws?) are trying. The flip side is that they just send you a check for $200 and tell you to buy the presents for you. We have one set of grandparents who do the former (and sometimes buy ridiculous things) and one set who do the latter (and sometimes I have to rack my brain to think of something good to buy for my kids with their money) but I’m grateful for all of them. And while I’m grateful for the money I’ve actually grown more and more endeared to the set of grandparents who send the sometimes weird gifts, and those gifts never get thrown out (or seldom get thrown out I should say) because those gifts were picked out by special people, and they connect my kids to them.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

"My boys don’t have interest in the gifts because they were items from a show they don’t know or watch"

I want to know what happens when the kids are hanging out with their friends and watch that show, then start asking for characters from it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"My boys don’t have interest in the gifts because they were items from a show they don’t know or watch"

I want to know what happens when the kids are hanging out with their friends and watch that show, then start asking for characters from it.

I'm a PP, not the OP, but my parents give my upper elementary child things from preschool-oriented shows or shows that they've otherwise outgrown and never watched (sometimes because they weren't around when they were the right age for it). My mother basically buys stuff she sees on the shelf at Home Goods/TJ Maxx. On the flip-side, she gave my then 2.5-year-old a toy clearly marked not for 3 and under because it had a small ping pong ball which my kid promptly put in her mouth before I saw what it was.

[Anonymous]

Some of these responses are so ott. Typical DCUM. If a grandparent had posted saying they got presents for the grandkids that were not on the Amazon wishlist- though they themselves asked- and the toys hot donated, there wouldn't be solidarity with the grandparent OP. Always hating on the OP on this board.

I sure wouldn't have donated them so soon, but in no way does it make you a "horrible mom" or these other dumb responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"My boys don’t have interest in the gifts because they were items from a show they don’t know or watch"

I want to know what happens when the kids are hanging out with their friends and watch that show, then start asking for characters from it.

I'm a PP, not the OP, but my parents give my upper elementary child things from preschool-oriented shows or shows that they've otherwise outgrown and never watched (sometimes because they weren't around when they were the right age for it). My mother basically buys stuff she sees on the shelf at Home Goods/TJ Maxx. On the flip-side, she gave my then 2.5-year-old a toy clearly marked not for 3 and under because it had a small ping pong ball which my kid promptly put in her mouth before I saw what it was.

I'm a mom of 3 young kids and I often get my kids toys that are marked for older kids. So I don't think that's wrong in and of itself. I think the age limitations are often CYA.

[Anonymous]

Op you sound very controlling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I mentioned “experiences” because I thought other people would: “why didn’t you ask for experiences?” They want to gift toys, and ask for a list. So I provide one.

My boys don’t have interest in the gifts because they were items from a show they don’t know or watch (no, we aren’t “screen free”) and the other toy was several years younger than their level.

We opened them because we were visiting family in another state for Christmas.

I was asking...has anyone else opened and donated gifts, and it’s not even Christmas?!

Well, no. It isn't Christmas yet.

Plus you actually asked if anyone else is frustrated with gifts.... not if they had opened and donated already.

[Anonymous]

Well this thread is going the way OP assumed it would.