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Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
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How do I tell people nicely to quit buying her so much crap?

thinkofthatthinkofthat
in Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months

DD has way too many toys, mostly stuffed animals.  And, she's just turned one year old.  Everyone buys her a new toy for every silly occasion, which gets played with for 3 mins, and is then thrown on the heap that is building in the office.  We don't have a playroom yet. 

I swear we must have 50 stuffed animals for her.  Easily.  And she's 12mos. old!  Every time someone buys her a new one I cringe inside.

That said, I know it's the thought that counts and I do not want to offend, but what can I say to get people to STOP!  Neighbors have stopped over with bags of toys that their kids don't play with anymore, because they think she will like them.  I want to refuse, but I don't want to piss them off either.

Ideas?

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Re: How do I tell people nicely to quit buying her so much crap?

  • mulva33mulva33
    Me thinks your neighbors are just trying to clean out their homes.
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  • CalifloridaCaliflorida member

    i read somewhere (wish i could site the source) that anything beyond 5-9 choices is overwhelming for a toddler.  so i limit the amount of toys my DD has access to in each room of the house and rotate them out frequently. 

    and i also constantly donate stuff.  goodwill, salvation army, local shelters, all those places love to get clothes, toys, stuffed animals, books, etc.

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  • bnljane1988bnljane1988
    Accept them and then donate them. 
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  • brooketinibrooketini

    imagebnljane1988:
    Accept them and then donate them. 

    Agree. I mean, if it were my own mother or something, I wouldn't feel weird saying "hey mom, we really appreciate your generosity, but DD doesn't really need any more stuffed animals". With neighbors or friends, I would just accept the gifts graciously and then donate them. 

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  • bethCTbethCT

    DD still has toys she got for her birthday that I haven't given her yet - I imagine we'll still have them in the boxes a few months from now too.  She does like to empty her toy basket though, but it only holds about 15 little toys - mostly teethers and baby toys.

    can you store some for later?

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  • Jules122907Jules122907 member
    We were getting a lot of "stuff" early on and I just started commenting randomly how much A likes books.  I would make sure to send pictures with her looking at/playing with a book in family and friend update emails, etc.  Lo and behold, we started getting a lot of books instead of stuff. Love it!  She probably has over 100 books now.  I keep the age relevant ones (board books now) in her toy chest and on her book shelves in her room and then put the rest of them in a bookshelf we have in the basement.  I just plan on rotating out as she gets older!  If they are going to bring her something, which bless them for thinking of her, then I would much rather it be a book than anything else! 
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  • Jim&JaimeJim&Jaime member
    Plus, if you donate them, you can take the tax deduction.  It's a win-win.
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  • brideofscowboybrideofscowboy member
    The 'it fell apart in the wash' only works so many times.  Accept them and donate them.
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  • megs042107megs042107
    You can donate stuffed animals and other toys to a children's hospital.  The next time a neighbor stops by, just tell them "Thanks, but she has plenty."
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  • alli2672alli2672 member
    can you really donate used items to shelters/children's hospitals/goodwill?  I have had trouble with this.  Everyone is happy to take new things, but I can't seem to find anywhere that will take used toys. 
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  • christiney06christiney06 member

    imagealli2672:
    can you really donate used items to shelters/children's hospitals/goodwill?  I have had trouble with this.  Everyone is happy to take new things, but I can't seem to find anywhere that will take used toys. 

    I agree.  I wanted to donate some barely touched stuffed animals but I couldn't b/c they didn't have tags on them.  I don't think they ever had tags in the first place!

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