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.

How QUAINT.
How unreal.
Sorry, but it is the bitter truth

YABU and have a very serious case of PFB-itis.

It's not worth even trying, the stress isn't worth it and everyone buys plastic tat even if you ask them not to.

OH, and of course, your kid will love the plastic and just roll eyes at wooden. (seriously).

Good luck though, if you stick with it!

"I'm taking it all in good stride and trying not to cry...I really do think I'll be a good mother and won't give into tantrums, is that so hard to believe really?"

Wooden dolls' houses and wooden train sets are brill. You will cave on the rest. Trust me

I felt exactly like this. Bought lots of lovely wooden and organic cotton toys. Then the beloved grandparents arrived with sackloads of Vtech He does play with his wooden toys as well and some of them are real favourites, but I'll never forget the Steiner toddlers' session when somebody accidentally brought along a plastic friction-powered bus with engine noises - the entire morning was a scrum of kids trying to get hold of it while all the lovely lovely creative wooden stuff sat forlorn and neglected :(

you could only buy wooden toys yourself but when your DC gets older and has birthdays, some of your friends may only be able to afford plastic stuff and you'll have to grin and bear it. I suppose it'd seem quite rude (or snobby maybe) to ask specifically for wooden stuff.

Melissa and Doug do nice wooden toys for preschoolers though :)

oh, and I don't give in to tantrums either. doesn't stop my DD having them though!

yanbu, but you haven't got a chance.

The gp love to buy the plastic. I buy the wooden farm/dolls house/cooker and all of that. They play with all of it.

We have a tripp trapp highchair and is no more a pain to clean than the plastic behemoth I had with dc1, lasts for ages and has great resale.

I used to believe the reason my DD didn't have tantrums was because I was a great parent. I didn't realise she was saving them up until she became four...

lovestolove - it's fine to aim not to give into tantrums, but don't beat yourself up when you do. That is all.

ps - I don;t believe that you can "stipulate" what people buy your DC. You can (obviously) hide any toys which you don;t like and certainly not put batteries into the most noisy irritating ones. Over time people might get the hint about what you might prefer for your DC, but there is no guarantee. Also, apart from birth, most subsequent presents are bought solely by immediate family, so you could (in theory) tell your parents and in-laws not to buy plastic.

Oh, but his wooden train set and his wooden balance bike are endlessly loved and played with, so there is hope!!

LOL clemet.

I think in 3-5 years I should come back and update this thread. I will officially out myself at that point. And hopefully will be laughing

IME people tend not to buy toys as new baby pressies on the whole anyway cause they won't play with them for a while.

'so you could (in theory) tell your parents and in-laws not to buy plastic.' - tablefor3 have you not read the mil threads Plastic toys is the least of your worries when it comes to MILs

What?

No lego, no playmobil, stickle bricks and stacking cups?

Just because it's plastic, doesn't automatically make it tat.

YANBU I feel exactly the same! I LOVE wooden toys (with the exception of lego...) and think those are the ones that last longest anyway. However I totally recognise that my pfb (due in a few weeks), who after all is going to be the one playing with them, is far likely to prefer anything bright and noisy if my friends' experiences are anything to go by. I have even stashed away a few bits of second hand plastic tat from friends in anticipation... (vg point about plastic being easier to clean too).

Personally I think it's quite rude to buy someone elses child a REALLY noisy toy, but on the whole you can't legislate what people buy for your kids. You do control how it gets used and how long it's kept for once they lose interest though, so can avoid keeping the garish, battery-fed rubbish for posterity.

Ingrid do you give into your child's every whim? My parents had no problem saying 'no' to me when they deemed necessary and I certainly don't intend to waste my money and turn my child into a spoilt brat by buying everything s/he demands. There is just no need for that patronising attitude, at least everyone else has the good humour to empathise or even acknowledge they felt the same before reality kicked in.

I think I see the problem here. OP, you are clearly me from 15 months ago, brought forward in time to save me from the plastic give me a good laugh.

Solution - have a quick look around present day living room and toddle back to July 2009 for a bit of a cry.

PS don't listen to the first midwife when she tells you there are hours to go. Smack her round the chops and push for all you are worth.....

Why can't I strike out words? Why?!

surely the material the toy is made from is irrelevant anyway? Do you really think that wood = good and plastic = bad? Any old toy will do so long as it's wood? Any toy is intrinsically bad because it's plastic? I agree that wooden dolls houses, train sets, etc are lovely (and far easier on the eye than a garish pink plastic glittery lump of a dolls house) but there are an awful lot of really good and lovely toys that just happen to be plastic.....

Oh runningrach can you hold my hand? A kindred spirit!! Please let me know if things work out for you as you will be going first

I am going to go against the grain here and say YANBU

Plastic toys are cold and smooth, not very interesting to handle

Wooden toys are lovely

Stick to your guns, I say

Is this a joke?

oh, and I never give in to tantrums either. And my children prefer water to juice. So you aren't being totally unrealistic!

I have DD who's 4 and DS 1. Have managed to avoid noisy plastic toys, so far only have two (piano and baby phone). Don't mind plastic toys as much but I just HATE noisy ones!!! Nobody has ever given my kids any, i guess i'm quite verbal about it

Makemine can you give me some examples?

Apart from construction toys (the aforementioned lego, stickle bricks, and stacking cups) I'm not sure I've genuinely come across any that do not have a wooden/cloth/natural substitute that I prefer?

The only possible thing I can think of is toy prams, but I don't mind one of those.