To ask relatives not to buy plastic toys?

[MumOnACornishFarm]

I am sure other parents have dealt with similar, so I would really appreciate any advice here. Our DS is turning 1 very soon, and obviously some people will be buying him presents. Of course we do not feel that people should, but in reality we know that most in our close family will. I would really like to not have any more plastic toys; he already has loads although I try to avoid plastic where I can, and I am concious that his beloved jumperoo will still be here in millions of years from now. It doesn't keep me awake at night, but it's something I'm quite concious of.

So, is there any way of me saying this to relatives without sounding like we have any expectation of receiving presents in the first place, and without putting people's noses out of joint? I don't want to make a wish list for him or anything like that, because I appreciate people want to chose what they give. But I would love to avoid more plastic flooding into the house! My partner and I are also agreed that we don't want him to have guns or similar toys, not that people are likely to get that sort of thing for a first birthday (I hope not!) but obviously it's a similar issue that no doubt will crop up later on, and I'm curious to know how other parents handle this.
Equally I might be being very silly to think that I can or should control what people buy him. So, AIBU?

[Hockeydude]

It might help if you describe your objection to plastic/plastic toys.

[wobblywonderwoman]

We have two under 2.5 and we have charity shopped a lot of them. That silly picnic basket noisy thing and the dinosaur with americanised phonic sound.

But on no way on earth would I tell any member of the Family not to buy plastic toys. I don't think it's fair at all.

you could say you would be happy with clothes or books but it could hurt people's feelings

[bumbleymummy]

Even though you don't like the idea, wish lists are probably your best bet. Just put lots of options up so people are still getting a choice.

We managed to avoid a lot of the typical plastic toys that people buy/get given. I don't mind things like Lego because they are played with for years :)

[MrsJoeyMaynard]

Maybe you could try and suggest that you want some toddler books to read to your DS at home? Books aren't usually plastic.

[Twistedheartache]

Embraced the brightly coloured plastic tat. Chances are your child will & wipe clean is very useful.
SIL is like this & tbh comes across as ungrateful with the snotty face & blatantly rude when she says to mum & dad let's leave this one here - I take great delight in finding the most garish things possible & dn loves them!

[MumOnACornishFarm]

Hmmm. I really don't want to annoy any relatives. I have already told my mum not to buy plastic, but I knew should would have no problem about that, and she didn't. I have visions of mountains of plastic! I know I can give it away afterwards, but it's still more plastic, isn't it? Uuurgh, horrible stuff.

[abbieanders]

My daughter just turned one last week and she got loads of plastic toys. Worse, they all bleat in an electronic voice. Still, she loves them and her gifts are between her and the givers. You can't stop it so I'd say don't bother stressing.

[AgeOfEarthquakes]

Can't you politely ask for books or clothes instead?

[MumOnACornishFarm]

I see the wisdom of the wish list, but doesn't that just shout expectation?

[WhatamessIgotinto]

My DCs had loads of plastic shite that they loved and gave them hours of fun. I passed everything on to other children when they outgrew them with the request that they did the same.

[MumOnACornishFarm]

Don't get me wrong! I think plastic is a wonder material in its place. As you say, lego might be the best and one of most creative toys of all. But there's a lot of stuff that could be made of something else, and a lot if doesn't last long yet will never break down.
I think I'm on a sticky wicket here

[hippydippybaloney]

Just give it away when you're done. It's already been made. You aren't going to make them make less of them. I get the whole 'it starts with one person' argument but this is not something that's going to take off enough to make any difference. Kids love plastic toys. The more irritating the better. To make yourself feel better, let someone else have use out of it when you're done with it.

[pictish]

Bless you OP. You can try to stem the tide of plastic but I'm afraid you will most likely fail in the long run. You sound like me when I had my first son...and I know you are well-intentioned, but I will smile at you anyway.

1. People will find your no plastic rule precious and some will ignore you because they think you're being silly. Your child will favour the toys they bring.
   

1. Kids prefer plastic toys as they do more, have more detail and are more interactive.
   

1. Kids will turn anything into a gun, including lego, toast, cardboard and sticks. Nerf guns are the business.
   

1. By the time you're on your second child, you will look back at this and laugh.

[bumbleymummy]

You can put suggestions on wish lists. So you could just put things like wooden toys, books, clothes. Obviously this is only if people ask for ideas for presents. You may still end up with some plastic but not as much.

[Artandco]

I would and have.

My eldest is now 6 years old and apart from Lego we are a toy plastic free house.

It's crap. It's terrible for the environment, most is poorly made in China. It is often brittle, snaps, and barely lasts ( well friends binned loads as broke and sharp)

Almost all their toys have been going since small and we just add pieces to them as they grow. All look as new.

Also, I don't want hundreds of plastic toys all over the house. They seem to have survived happily without, and play constantly with their toys so hasn't hindered play at all

[Mercedes519]

We have always had wish lists and some people use them, some don't. If you pitch it as 'this is kind of thing they like' and ' things we don't have' people do prefer to get something that won't be a duplicate and will be played with.

[Artandco]

Oh and if anyone ignores this and buys stuff we just charity so pointless. We haven't space for kids of stuff as small home, so we usually ask for books tbh. We have a list online so people can buy what they haven't got already.

[burythechains]

When they are tiny it is really easy to simply never give them toys and charity shop them. We did that simply because DS had so much stuff at times (and sometimes because they really pushed the tacky line waaayyyy over).

[Bear2014]

I also have the whole plastic-landfill guilt. It is so hard to reconcile having kids with being remotele eco friendly. We try to offset by passing things on and charity shopping, and everything except gifts are bought second hand.

Requests for books/clothes could help and then you can choose his toys yourself but as they get older they become more and more into plastic stuff, sorry!

[Bear2014]

Or you could get family to contribute towards a play house/play kitchen or similar

[SharingMichelle]

If anyone asks what dc would like (and ONLY if they ask) you could say that something from the charity shop would be lovely - saves pennies for the giver, and means anything plastic is reused so you're not contributing to plastic industry. Then give back to cs when ds grows out of it.