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.

I came back to say or metal spoon or plastic spoon, but see that I was beaten to it! Basically any spoon that made a noise on the saucepan!

Mine loved the (plastic) salad spinner...

PoppyBoo Going against the mainstream crops up a lot in your posts here do you think that's sufficient reason to do or not do something, have or reject something for your children?

It's a dreadful cliché, but they'll get more fun from a cardboard box and the wrapping paper than the toy itself.

I gave in to plastic because it's easier to clean, doesn't do as much damage when chucked, and my son loves it.

I do like nice wooden things, though. He tolerates the classier stuff, but if a toy is garish, makes a hideous noise, and dismantles into a thousand tiny pieces to be distributed around our flat, he loves it more.

bruffin
"Poppyboo- some parents just seem to be far more controlling than others. Dictating what material your child will play with is very controlling."

but by the toys you're choosing, be they plastic or wooden, you're controlling it because you're buying them So if you buy all plastic, shock horror, you're controlling because you will only buy plastic for your kids.

What exactly is the problem with buying toys that are all wood as apposed to buying toys that are all plastic? WHAT EXACTLY IS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS? The OP was asking was she being unreasonable to want wooden toys over plastic. What is exactly wrong with this? Because people who have plastic toys feel threatened in some way?

I'm not wasting any more energy on this. Mumsnet seems poisonous to me, I rarely post on here and now I know why.

oh give poppyboo a break peeps! she's just trying to say that her children have a range of toys and textures to play with and was sticking up for the poor person who started this post and got slated! by the sounds of it, she wouldn't dis-allow her children to play with a wooden spoon and a drum!

and with regards to the controlling comment about what other people buy your children - then surely we should to an extent? what if a gift for a child was an unsuitable age rated DVD or game - would you still allow your child to play with it?

i would speculate that the more militant pro plastic anti natural material stance is a form of inverted snobbery.

otherwise it is the same as the contempt with which blw/resusable nappies/baby wearing/anything else vaguely 'alternative' is treated because people fear that if one chooses a different approach to parenting then that is automatically a massive criticism of the usual way of doing things.

does it have to be so black and white? wooden vs plastic and nappies etc? why can't people have the best of both worlds?

I buy mainly wooden toys, a few plastic, and others, I used supermarket brand nappies and buy organic veg for my daughter,

'variety is the spice of life?'

oh, and nothing to do with snobbery; personal choice in what I think is best for my child, based on many factors; not just following the crowd or what is in fashion at the time

DS loves wooden toys - pine cones, conkers, sticks!

Yes poppy but I never ruled out a whole range of toys because I didn't like them but my children did. I never felt the need to tell anyone else they couldn't buy a toy for my child because I ddin't like it, or throw out or give away something that was not to my taste. They were presents for my children not me.
When you get to the stage of telling friends and relative you only want wooden, or plastic or green or white toys, banning barbie etc then you are being controlling.

Sungirltan, I am not pro plastic I am just trying to say that toys are for children not the parents.

bruffin - well what if they ask you what you would like for your dc for xmas/birthdays? what if said relative wants to please you?

i don't see how wanting some autonomy as a parent is so wrong?

bruffin, :

'and with regards to the controlling comment about what other people buy your children - then surely we should to an extent? what if a gift for a child was an unsuitable age rated DVD or game - would you still allow your child to play with it?' you as a parent control so much in your children's lives, where they live, when they go to bed, what they eat, how the behave - what's the harm in choosing toys which as a parent, you have better judgement than them about?

Where would one find a wooden Nintendo DS please?
[hgrin]

tori0609 - yes quite!

i'd better take dd to mcdonalds tomorow and buy her one of those hideous plastic steering wheels for her buggy because i am clearly being 'controlling' by forbidding the above :-)

lol @ sungirltan!

Goooooooooooooober, shy be so picky? you must know that is not our case here! I woudln't dis-allow a nintendo DS for my child but wouldn't allow her to sit in her room for hours playing it being unsociable, and wouldn't allow certain games - where's the balance and common sense gone peeps?!

IME people don't pay a blind bit of attention when you say what you'd prefer. They buy what they like, not what you'd like.

ooops - 'why' not 'shy'

I don't ask-I use my inititive If I were to ask I would follow the advice, but I take a dim view of being told how I can spend my money!
I love wooden toys-I just don't see the harm in a mix.
I also think that DCs should be given the opportunity to work it out for themselves.
I would bet that if any 2 yr old was let loose in a room of toys they would go to the one that took their interest. What it was made of would be at the bottom of the list-they wouldn't care! Some would go for wood, some would go for plastic-why does it matter! Surely the play value is the important thing?

piscesmoon- my child does not like tat for the very reason he hasn't been introduced to it. I'll give him a wooden abacus over a some plastic gimmick based on some hideous childrens' programme. It FORCES the child to use their imagination in terms of the child has to play with it-as oppose to pressing buttons and being told continuously how correct he/she is.

oh and the wooden toys I buy are sourced in the UK. I check that.

You are talking about a completely different thing InGodWeTrust-I am not talking about toys where you press buttons! I take it your DC is young and you will find out that he does like plastic tat away from mother control!!

a child may initially be drawn to a toy, doesn't mean that that same toy will still be attractive in a year or so's time?

My dear departed SIL bought my DD a drum kit one Christmas with Accoustic "all around" sound....

It was deliverd with great fan fare on Christmas Day in a massive box from NY. Must have cost a bomb to both buy and delver.

Everybody hated it. DD loved it.

I credit Dsil with my DD's sense of music/rythmn(sp).She's doing grade 5 violin now.

Everything in my life was a bit wooden OP; and wooden toys would always be my preference; but life moves on.

I hate Brabie; so I bought her one. I hate pink fucking puppies whatever the name is; but I bought her loads; until she got to a point that she vomited and rejected pink plastic crap.

Choose your battles carefully.

Whether it be Wooden,lego, Barbies or any plastic crap.

Tread carefully.

The Bastards are always lurking at the dead of night, when you're such a good mum that you don't turn the light on, for fear of waking the little ones...

And still tread on the toy

You will then hop, curse silently/swear whether the toy be wooden or plastic.

And thereason will be that you don't want to wake the little bugger Angel, that laid/imposed the mortal death trap.