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AIBU?

To not let DD play with her new toy?

21 replies

BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:08

The dcs were brought to a toy shop by dps sister yesterday, she recently came into some money and this is her first time seeing the kids since so she went mad and got them loads of stuff, i had sent dp to control the situation but rather predictably that plan failed

ds1 got 3/4 Ben 10 toys and dd got a play doh ice cream maker thing, polly pocket dolls and a lego police station.

The lego is the issue, dd is 4... she's good at that sort of thing but no where near ready for proper lego. (the recommended age is 6-12)

The set is fantastic, and expensive, and i really think if it's opened now she'll not be able to enjoy it much and with 2 younger brothers there's no hope of it remaining intact by the time she is old enough. That said i think it's something she will love in a year or so and be far more able for so i've suggested to her that i keep it for her until she's older and buy her something else for now and while she's not delighted with the idea she's not really upset either.

Problem is i feel like the mean mommy yet again stealing her new toy that her auntie bought her

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eyetunes · 30/10/2009 14:10

YABU - i would let her play with it. We have various sets, all mixed up, which has happened at a much older age and they just play with all the bits. You cannot keep the bits from becoming seperated, so best to let her get on with it and enjoy it. Then just throw it all in a big tub and they can create their own models.

IdrisTheDragon · 30/10/2009 14:13

I agree with you - I have got DS who will be 6 next month the lego police station for Christmas and he really wouldn't have enjoyed it so much when he was 4.

BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:15

all well and good but ds2 is 8 months and into everything, ds2 is 3 and would smash it to bits and dd can't even put the pieces together by herself!

what's the point of just upending it into a tub for none of them to enjoy and ds2 to potentially choke on?!

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BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:17

idris, that's my logic.... i loved lego as a kid and i know dd will absolutely adore this when she's a bit older but just can't see her getting any pleasure from it now.

i'm thinking a playmobil set to make up for it...

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eyetunes · 30/10/2009 14:22

aah yes, if the younger boys are likely to choke on it, then yes put it away. Maybe just get it out at times when they are not about?

SolidGhoulBrass · 30/10/2009 14:24

I've done this with loads of DS toys/presents. Just hide them, distract DC and bring them out in a year or two/

Stigaloid · 30/10/2009 14:25

Take it back and swap it for a duplo lego set - that way the younger ones aren't at risk of choking on small pieces or destroying it and your DD can get to enjoy building with it. Duplo is from 2 upwards. My DS (2.4) loves his.

BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:27

like that idea but dd is never home when they're not, she has longer days at school and parties most weekends so not sure it would get much action.

sorry for overuse of ! in that post by the way... i reads far snappier than i intended it

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BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:33

stigaloid - I didn't ask sil for the receipt as i didn't want to upset her, she'd be mortified if she realised it wasn't suitable, she's single and childless so wouldn't have thought to check age appropriateness or chokability.

That said she gave us some cash so it's not like we'd be out of pocket if i just buy her a set of duplo/playmobil, ds1 is getting the duplo firestation for christmas so they could build a little duplo empire

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DebiTheScot · 30/10/2009 14:38

could you change it for the playmobil police station? You might be able to do an exchange without the receipt.

Otherwise, I'd keep it for her until she's older. Esp as she got other things too.

Avendesora · 30/10/2009 14:41

If you put it away she will have the enjoyment of antisipating it, and looking forward to it as a special toy. Its a good plan. I can recommend both duplo and Playmobil for a four year old.

Having said that, my five year old is really enjoying little lego and my 3 year old joins in too, so it can be played with at younger ages. We rotate the toys between little Lego, Duplo, Playmobil and Mega Blocks for variety.

BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:43

worth a try i suppose, it was smyths and they're quite good about exchanges.

will chat with dp about it when he gets home... he might want to keep it in case his sister visits again and asks about it.(unlikely as this was her first time meeting either boy but you never know)

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BloodRedTulips · 30/10/2009 14:48

Avendesora.... are they able to manage it? i remember lego being quite fiddly and hard to manage but admittedly that was a few years ago so it might be improved since then

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aristoBLACKcat · 30/10/2009 14:56

lego police station is a great toy, we bought it for DS last xmas and DD plays with it more than him[shes 5yo]

however if you have younger DCs you cant risk them with it as the pieces are soooo tiny

Marne · 30/10/2009 14:58

My 3 year old is playing with lego as i type. Both dd's 3 and 5 love lego but are more interested in making there own things (without instructions).

Could you not build it together and then put it a way for another day? (this is what i did with dd1's F1 set and she seems to have forgot about it now).

OtterInaSkoda · 30/10/2009 15:06

Dig out an icecream tub or something for the special new Lego to at least kind of avoid getting it all mixed up. We keep all the instruction booklets in a folder, too.
I do like the idea of exchanging it for Playmobil though. But run the idea past your sister first and make sure your dd buys into the idea, too. Tell her that my ds (9) had a Lego fire station that he never even finished and that he would recommend the Playmobil version over the Lego one any day (OK so I've not asked him but I know he would. I'll even double check tonight if you like. Advice from big kids is often persuasive ime ).

OtterInaSkoda · 30/10/2009 15:10

BTW my ds prefers playing with stuff to building it - hence Lego is fab and he loves it but it's a leeeetle bit annoying in that it tends to collapse when you're playing out Cops With Cameras stories with it.

Firawla · 30/10/2009 15:50

yes put it away and she can have it when she's ready, as you said she wasn't too upset i think that would be fine. its not like you've thrown it in the bin or anything! if you get her something else instead for now it seems a fair deal, duplo prob a good idea as it is similar

katylou25 · 30/10/2009 16:09

My ds1 is 4.9 and LOVES lego at the moment - he's only very recently got into it and will spend hours following the instructions to make models or using a big box of ordinary blocls to make his own things. Ds2 - 3.1 will try and join in but soon gets fed up as he can only really make a tower!!

BloodRedTulips · 31/10/2009 11:16

o dear, lots of conflicting advice

i'm second guesing myself now as i do think dd would love it but i can also imagine regretting giving it to her when i'm finding bits of it all over the house and in the baby's mouth!

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pranma · 31/10/2009 17:28

Really put it away until next Christmas-she wont be bothered as she has the other stuff-playmobil is much better at that age.

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