Help with inlaws

vanillacourage

Love my inlaws but they don't always think things all the way through.  For Christmas and again this week for things to keep at their house, they got DS toys that are age- and developmentally-inappropriate; rated for 12 months, 15 months, even 18 months. 

It's really sweet of them, but it makes me very nervous and I want to say something.  How to do it w/o hurting their feelings?

The gifts they gave us at Christmas have been put away, but he stayed at their house on Saturday and when I picked him up yesterday they'd bought a bunch of new toys and he was already playing with them when I got there.

snickerdoodle27

since it's your dh's family I'd have him say soemthing to them. When this happens that's what we do. Or, we just put it away until he's old enough, and we tell them that's what we're going to do.

Shmar

What exactly is your concern with the "older" toys?  I'm pretty sure all toys rated 12-18 months do not contain choking hazards since lots of kids that age still like to mouth everything.

My 7-month old's favorite toys are things that DD got for her first b-day (a toy piano, a busy box) and they are all rated 12 months+....they are all "safe" and keep him more entertained than a taggie or some other baby toy.  Even with 2 y/o DD, we've been buying stuff for age 3+, because we've found that toy age ratings are generally very conservative.

reynah

At least your inlaws try. Maybe they think he already has a lot of infant toys and want to get him something he can use in the future??

Mine are not even fair with their grandchildren, and it makes me soooo freakin mad. They got their grandaughter an awesome expensive horse and my ds some cheap clothes.

cristiana

As long as there aren't choking concerns, I wouldn't worry about it.

vanillacourage

cristiana:

As long as there aren't choking concerns, I wouldn't worry about it.

This was my 1st instinct too, but I don't want the trend to continue and him to have toys rated for a 4 year old when he's 2 because that would be a legit safety concern, KWIM? 

G_Hoping

WHAT?

So your inlaws know that in a few months your DC will be older and will enjoy their toys.  Its better to have a bunch of 12 month-18 month old toys then a ton of 6 month old toys that never get used again.

Better to plan ahead.  Your INlaws are doing you no disservice.

 

 

DandelionMom

We return the toys if possible or just put them away until later. ?My ILs got DD a set of Sharpie markers (WTF?!) and we bought DD a more appropriate set and just put the other ones away until she's older (like 18?!). ?

If it is a choking hazard, just have DH remind them that they need to stick with the age?guidelines?for safety. ??

jessicaclare

As long as there isn't a safety concern, I wouldn't say anything. In the future you can just put them away. If the toys at their house could be choking hazards, just have your DH mention something about choking hazards.  I really don't see the big deal about this unless the toys are very, very dangerous.