to want my DC to only have wooden toys? (Or is this a case of PFB Syndrome?)

[LovestoLove]

I don't think I'm generally PFB - I want my child to respect adults, eat with no fussing/faddiness (or at least no reaction on my part), have no quibbles about the step, won't give copious amounts of juice/biscuits, won't give into tantrums, etc.

But I really have a thing about the bucket loads of plastic toys that I fall over when at friends' homes.

I love wooden toys/puzzles, books, cloth dolls, make-believe things, fancy dress, etc.

Is it totally unreasonable of me to ask parents, in-laws, and anyone else who's expressed interest in getting a baby gift to get something wooden/natural? I know wooden toys are generally seen as more expensive but I've found some on Ebay and other sites that aren't bad.

Or am I going to be seen as crazy? I'm 30 weeks pregnant by the way with DC1.

OP YANBU and, despite what the majority of people are telling you on here, it is possible to avoid plastic tat! :) I hate it too and both my DSs have pretty much all wooden toys with the exception of LEGO :) I can accept LEGO because it is educational, lasts for years and can be put away!

I despise those large plastic monstrosities for babies and toddlers that flash lights, make noises and keep the child's attention for about 3 days before they end up as an unsightly tripping hazard in the living room. They are completely unnecessary and gimmicky. You do not need them and your child will not miss out by not having them. Good for you for actually thinking about this stuff and not just going along with the trend for crappy, pointless toys for children. There are so many nice toys out there that will last for years and provide hours of entertainment and imaginative play. We've certainly had no problems in sourcing wooden alternatives for most of the popular toys - google is your friend! Just be prepared to pay a bit more for them - they are worth it though.

If you're worried about what other people will buy - plenty of hints and an amazon wish list 'just for some ideas' for the first little while will give them a push in the right direction! ;)

Thank you bubble that's incredibly helpful!

Best wooden toy I've ever bought has been a take along kitchen with pots and pans.

I thought the same when DD was born 7 years ago, esp hate toys with batteries. But of course other people bought her toys and although initially anyway I always bought wooden and without batteries she lost interest in these, prefering the plastic battery ones.

Wooden toys are more expensive and will get played with less.

She's now 7 and likes baby dolls and prams best of all, (cot is wooden but pram is plastic, dolls are plastic).

DS1 is 4, loves cars, garage and lego - all plastic - although also likes wooden car track with wooden cars as well - our house is full of plastic toys too mainly that other people have bought.

Suggest you re-read in 3 years time, sorry you are being totally naive.

burning- after six years, Hello Puppy left our house only last month. I thought that my nights spent humming the tune had gone. Thanks to you, He's back in my head. I hope you are proud.

[hwink]

I've never had problems with people buying my boys plasticky things. We always bought wooden things for them - wooden play gyms, blocks, puzzles etc and when people visit, they always comment on how lovely they are and we make a point of saying how much we prefer the wooden toys, how long they last etc. If anyone asks us for present suggestions, we point them in the direction of the wishlist or books. You can never have too many books! :)

And for my tiny part in starting the Political Rumour of the Decade, I take my bow..

((bows theatrically))

(I wouldn't bow, arses... )

HeadlessLadyBiscuit, "bless" and "you'll learn" are not opinions, they are put-downs.

Many posters have shared their opinions on this thread and many of them stated the OP was unreasonable. My point was hardly that differing opinions were problematic. My point was that smug knowingness, with no real thought or explanation, just a scaremongering "wait til you realise what's in for you" is unhelpful and, well, a bit rude.

Also, let's be fair about this. "Other more experienced mothers" are not likely to be in the position to mother my child. This is a learn-as-you-go-along game. We can seek advice, it's true.. and advice is generally welcome. Rudeness, not so much so.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA" is best kept for the playground.

Franca, too true. Now, if only I were GeorgeOsborne's arses.. I could think of lots of places I might go to bow tonight..

Being a good mother has nothing to do with your ability to not give in to tantrums

But don't cry - honestly, having a house full of plastic tat isn't that bad, especially when there's a small person merrily playing with it all and having the absolutel time of their lives.

'I asked if I was being unreasonble to want my child to have wooden toys.'

Of course not!
YANBU if you buy them, they are (generally) lovely.
YANBU if you suggest them if people ask.

However:
YABU if you direct people when they haven't asked.
YABU if you prevent your DC having toys that they would like/have been given because you don't like them.
YABU if you try to tell your DC what they should like.

All that really matters is -has it got play value? My DSs had a second hand plastic kitchen (a lot of orange I recall and not very nice!) however they got hours of imaginative play, for a very cheap price. Would they have been any better off, or got any more play value if I had paid more for a wooden kitchen? I don't think so-the only person to be pleased would have been me!

Well said Pisces!

But playvalue Pisces is vey much a hindsight thing isn't it? You could have bought a different kitchen in plastic that didn't appeal at all and was a waste of money (not yours as I appreciate it was second hand).

My DD's favourite toy last month was a plastic flyswat, 70p from the hardware store

Oh don't take it so seriously arses! I mean that as nicely as anything - we've all been there. I used to read Martha Stewart parenting magazines and dream being a size 8 mummy in white leggings massaging my dreamy babies. As I said, I bought crappy wooden toys from Steiner School Fayres. I've been there in spades. We aren't saying parenthood is worse than your dreams, it's just, um, different. I was certain my children would sleep through from an early age because I had read all the books and simply wouldn't put up with any nonsense. Lordy. My lovely wooden Likeabike went rotten in the shed from lack of use (though others found it invaluable) but the plastic mini-micro scooters have been used for years and are fantastic. It is poignant and yes, funny, to hear the very definite plans and ideals of mothers to be, because we've all been there. 'Not giving in to food fads' sounds wonderful, but force-feeding a toddler is actually impossible, and children will develop their tastes, which you might call fads, and frankly, you learn to pick your battles...

Burningcakey - it is much more tolerable if you change some of the words. We have some rather entertaining x-rated versions in our house.

Does anyone else read these lyrics and hear the exact intonation and lilt of the patronising cow nice lady?

TwIIIsting, tuuuurning. Round. And. Round.

arses - it's all meant a bit fondly I think and I really can't take a thread like this seriously (no food issues and ignoring tantrums is a red rag to most parents who have made plans and failed horribly).

FWIW I felt like the OP with my PFB. He did have entirely knitted and wooden toys for the first few years of his life. Sadly a lot of the wooden toys were really badly made and fell to bits. And really, as so many people have said, your children's toys are not about aesthetics, they're about how much joy they get out of them. And a bit of cheap plastic tat can often give a surprising amount of joy.

The whole point of second hand plastic tat,SueP, is that it cost me so little that if they had only played with it once I could have passed it on and nothing much would have been lost! Car Boot sales etc are great for toys-you win some you lose some-but you find out what the DC likes.

You will be very glad you bought plastic play food and not the lovely wooden ones with velcro you can chop when your little one decided to throw it at your head mid tantrum, they bloody hurt!

Where was I being serious?! Have you mixed me up with the OP, perchance?

I just hate it when people say "bless". I think it is the most rude, obnoxiously smug thing to say to someone and I hate to see women use it to other women.

I don't think it is that serious arses - really I don't. It's a joke. As I say, we have all (I suspect) been there. I also get the feeling that the OP is a bit judgy-pants with the parents of the children she works with who are WEAK and GIVE IN and buy evil plastic, and tut-tuts behind their backs a bit. Easy to do, I'm sure I did it myself before I had kids (I was so sure my children would tidy after themselves and got one who is Mr Messy with knobs on) and certainly a couple of my childless friends are supernanny/dr spock/tanya byron and freud rolled into one when it comes to other people's children, but that sort of looking askance does press people's buttons a bit.

I didn't mean you being serious but the OP. The whole thing is a bit twatty frankly.

Bless

Kungfupanda - tell us the x-rated version! Pleeeease.