To think it's pretty dickish to have toys you can look at...

[mynameissleepy]

But not play with?

My parents are extremely precious over material things. Example..Their car is very basic, 15 years old but my Dad will park it miles away from anyone to make sure it's "safe".

They refuse to come to my house unless I move one of our cars onto the road outside and free up a space on the driveway. It's a very quiet road, not main road or anything.

They have a toy at their house...a particular vehicle that my just turned 2 year old is obsessed with. Every time he goes to touch the toy they are repeatedly saying be careful, ignoring conversation around them and watching him closely, then grabbing it at every opportunity.

I lost it this morning and said to hide the sodding thing and to put it away when we visit because it caused a huge tantrum. He was playing with it nicely and they snatched it when he was distracted. Annoying when I'm teaching him that we don't snatch etc.

It's worth about £15, not a collectible. Something that if he did break it, I would replace immediately.

They've always been tight but this is too far imo. But I'm also very laid back about material things so might be being unreasonable.

[MayFayner]

Something that if he did break it, I would replace immediately

Can you just buy him one?

[AnnieMay100]

It does sound a bit ott, can you buy him the same one he can bring with him to play with?

[ambereeree]

I would said the same OP. Are your parents perhaps not that well off that it is expensive to them?

[LostInShoebiz]

You see it as a toy but do they? Is it a model of a car, a collector’s piece, something like that?

[Michaelbaubles]

Well if it’s a lot of money to them they should damn well move it! This is people with beloved grandchildren visiting, not people who never have children at their house at all and have no concept of what children might like to fiddle with. Just put it away!

[pinkyredrose]

Why's it so precious to them?

[Drinkandknowthings]

My Aunt is a bit like this. She wants to buy my kids inappropriate presents that they can look at but not play with. My kids are 2 & 5 and she wanted to buy the 2 year old a porcelain doll and the 5 year old a cuckoo clock!

[mynameissleepy]

Sorry should have made it clearer. He does have lots of similar toys but thats the only one he's interested in when we are there.

We often take a couple of toys when we visit but they always leave it in the toy basket on display so he goes for that one.

DM likes to give the impression to her friends that she's granny of the year and spoils her grandchildren....the reality is very different.

It just annoys me in all honesty.

[NWQM]

They wont visit unless you move your car. You wont visit unless there are appropriate toys and a chilled atmosphere for your DC.

[mynameissleepy]

They are very comfortable financially, it's not a money thing.

[Siameasy]

They sound like micro managers
I have micro managers in my family
Extremely risk averse. It must be stifling for the child because it annoys me. What kind of toy is it ?

[ipswichwitch]

Well if they keep leaving it in the toy basket surely it’s fair game - couldn’t imagine why anyone would put anything remotely collectible in a toy basket anyway.

[PlainSpeakingStraightTalking]

To think it's pretty dickish to have toys you can look at....

To be fair, any old bit of shite might catch a toddlers eye, be it a china doll, a glittery snow globe, or pretty cushion. If you know he's not to touch it, then move it away. It's not difficult to reinforce 'no means no'

[MumW]

Who puts toys in the toy box and then says you can't play with them?

[Bookworm4]

They leave it in a toy basket which would suggest it's there to be played with, soon as you go Id lift the toy and say 'here put your collectors piece away' muttering weirdos under my breath.

[CheshireChat]

Well, if they won't visit you unless you move your car, then tell them you won't visit them unless they hide the toy. And buy your DS the same toy and take it with you (just put a little mark on it with nail polish or similar)

[IDrinkAndISewThings]

What's the toy? Is it something that'd be considered a keeper, or what? I'm fascinated as to why they'd store it with the toys that he gets to play with, very odd

[meercat23]

Trying to understand. This is a toy that is in the toy basket but they don't like him playing with it? If that is right, what is it there for?

[madcatladyforever]

I have adult collectors dollshouses worth a lot of money. Kids who come to the house are not allowed anywhere near them.
If I knew children were coming they wouldn't be anywhere they could find them, seems a bit daft to leave it lying around.
I don't like my things being broken, maybe it's an age thing I don't know. We didn't have much when we were kids so it was a big thing if something was broken.

[TheViceOfReason]

plainspeaking

The OP has said this item is left in the toy basket.

If it is in the toy basket, then it should be fair game! It's not a precious ornament the child is taking off a shelf. It's a toy. out a toy basket.

[MumW]

Whoops, pressed post too soon!

I'd be telling them they either remove it from sight before you arrive or they let DGS play with it.
If they continue to be so ridiculously dickish about it then tell them you will no longer be visiting as it is not fair to tease a 2 year old who doesn't understand.

[Barbarafromblackpool]

I have family like this, so annoying and unnecessary. Like you say, put it away. My mum used to have loads of house plants and glass vases ON THE FLOOR of her living room and was put out when I asked her to move them so I could actually relax as my crawler tried to repeatedly eat/grab them. I know, I know, they’ve got to learn, but it would take two mins to lift them off the bloody floor. Snacks of being controlling.

[mynameissleepy]

Who puts toys in the toy box and then says you can't play with them

That's exactly how I feel about it.

I understand things catch their eyes and it's a good life lesson to learn that you can have everything you want.

But he's literally just turned 2, with a severe speech delay and hearing issues.

He really doesn't understand. If he understood that would be entirely different.

[Barbarafromblackpool]

Smacks

[mynameissleepy]

Can't*