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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not get rid of my playmobile?

23 replies

fallenninja · 10/12/2011 14:08

Arguement with dear mum this morning and now I am wondering if IABU?

So from the age of 3 to 16 I collected Playmobile like a demented loon I have loads. The original old house, farm, stable, circus, zoo and so on and so on. All lovingly boxed up in original boxes in the attic.

So vauge plan in my head when younger was keep it for my children. However DSs are not 7 & 6, and i am not happy to let them play with it. I did but i was so anal about it getting broke, that I put it away and have started buying them their own. They are happy. I am happy.

Mum thinks I should sell my playmobile and use the money to either clear my credit card, or let the DSs have it. I want to keep it.and I want to to stay unbroken

So AIBU?

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 14:10

I agree with your Mum

What exactly is the point in keeping it?

PomBearAtTheGatesOfDoom · 10/12/2011 14:10

As long as it's in your attic and not your mums, do as you please. If it's in her attic though, I would mount a rescue mission quick or she'll present you with a cheque one day and it will be gone! RUN! She could be listing it NOW!

Bearcrumble · 10/12/2011 14:10

What do you actually do with it? Do you get it out and set it up and gaze at it? Or is it stuck in your loft?

I think you should let the boys play with it, it's not that fragile and if it does get a bit battered so what? I think the pleasure of seeing your kids enjoy your old toys is greater than having the toys and keeping them intact.

I'm with your mum I'm afraid. Use it or make some cash from it.

PomBearAtTheGatesOfDoom · 10/12/2011 14:11

If you keep it pristine and lovely and in the boxes, you DCs will sell it to pay for your nursing home fees and/or funeral one day...

SleepyFergus · 10/12/2011 14:12

I think you know that YABU. If no-one is going to play with it, then what's the point in keeping it? Better to sell it on - and if it's in as good a nick as you say, then a collector will pay good money for it. Clear your debt, that's much better than boxes going mouldy in the attic.

alarkaspree · 10/12/2011 14:15

I wouldn't see any point in keeping it, so I agree with your mum. But as long as it's in your attic not hers, and you don't expect any financial assistance from her as a result of your uncleared credit cards, it's none of her business.

Original poster

fallenninja · 10/12/2011 14:15

Gah.

As if mum is BR!

I dont know what the point is in keeping it. I really dont. It takes up loads of space. I had hours of fun playing with it as a child and im sure DSs would to, but i was just so insane about it being broken, and it ended up being no fun for any us when they were playing with it.

Pom it is in my attic. Mum cant bear to store stuff past 2 seconds. She got rid of DBs school stuff because he was 2 days late collecting it.

OP posts:

Original poster

fallenninja · 10/12/2011 14:18

You see im just being a numpty, and i know it. I just seem to really struggle with the thought of getting rid of it, and as I said Im not one for stressing out if toys get broken or stuff like that with the DCs, but they broke the handle of a bike and I was gutted. Unreasonably so. So rather than be a shouty crazy mum I boxed it back up and got them some of their own.

OP posts:

blackeyedsanta · 10/12/2011 14:19

your stuff, your choice. you get pleasure out of it being there. maybe when they ae a little older and more careful they will play gently.

WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 14:20

I think you need to separate selling the toys from selling your childhood memories.

You'll always keep those memories so the toys are now immaterial.

thebigkahuna · 10/12/2011 14:24

Well I don't think YABU.

It's your stuff, it's not doing anyone any harm where it is.

I wouldn't do it personally, but that is only because I am shit at looking after stuff and have had to therefore not be precious about anything (see the numerous dents in my car for reference).

I would have thought Playmobil was fairly hard to break, but I would be worried about all the little bits being missing.

I remember my brother having a playmobil speedboat and for some reason it came with a mini crate of beer, with 6 individual beer bottles. Imagine one going missing

I understand

Rhubarbgarden · 10/12/2011 14:26

I sentimentally insisted on keeping all my old My Little Ponies and whatnot for my future children. They were all in an old suitcase in my Dad's cellar, and after a long process of attrition from him I finally went to collect it. When I lovingly lifted the lid I found everything had gone mouldy. It was so sad seeing all their little green faces and rotten hair, I wish I'd chucked/sold it all years ago. Get rid of your collection now or let your kids play with it - you'll always have your memories of it and letting it decay in an attic is pointless.

lljkk · 10/12/2011 14:28

Flog it, your kids may not even like Playmobil.

If it's old Playmobil it will be going brittle (even plastic goes brittle).
Take a lot of pictures & make a little album of happy memories & flog the real things.

DS3 found some of DH's Corgi metal die cast vehicles; now those have lasted, they can be played with reasonably.

bigTillyMincepie · 10/12/2011 14:28

Where is NormantheForeman when you need him?

However, in his absence, I think you should either let your DC ENJOY it or sell it if you are in debt.

andaPontyinaPearTreeeeee · 10/12/2011 14:29

Oh bless.

SantasStrapon · 10/12/2011 14:35

I don't think YABU.

It's your Playmobil, and your decision. I have loads of toys from when I was younger, that I kept in perfect condition. I wouldn't let my DDs play with any of it, until I knew they would be responsible and careful.

I wouldn't sell any of it, or my books, to pay off a credit card. Make it your NY resolution to have that cleared asap, and then your Mum can't say anything.

Original poster

fallenninja · 10/12/2011 14:38

You are probably right, i should stop being such an idiot about it. Sigh. Its just ... gah I dont even know what it is.

See the credit card debt (sorry should have said in first post) is only a couple of hundred quid, as I brought a new washing machine on it. Mum doesnt believe in credit at all for various reasons which are understandable.

I still should let them play with it though shouldnt I, or sell it.

OP posts:

WorraLiberty · 10/12/2011 14:41

How old are your kids?

Original poster

fallenninja · 10/12/2011 14:43

Santas Books .. dont even get me started on books!

I just wonder whether I would ever trust them with it. Stuff gets broken - it happens even when you try really hard. I broke bits when I was little, and then they were replaced through the spares ordering system. I suppose its that you cant get them anymore cos its all new stuff now.

OP posts:

Original poster

fallenninja · 10/12/2011 14:44

They are 7 and 6.

OP posts:

ColdTurkeyRemains · 10/12/2011 14:44

Oh, let your DC play with it and let the new memories commence.

pinkappleby · 10/12/2011 15:04

Yes let them play with it, accept it might get broken and pieces lost. My kids are playing with my little people stuff and seeing them play brings back memories. They also have my lego but I am insisting they keep it in sets and not mix it all up but they can mix their own sets if they want, they know that my lego is still mine and I am lending it!

FWIW for people keeping toys, my sticklebricks have degraded and little spikes fallen off and some little people stiff has gone brittle, still playable with but won't be cross if it breaks. It's better to pass toys on then keep them I think.

KurriKurri · 10/12/2011 15:11

Well I think the playmobil is largely a red herring. It's about your mum wanting to have a say about your finances. Which are none of her business, I wouldn't discuss credit card payment or anything like that with her.

Regarding the playmobil - it's in your attic you can do what you like with it. My personal opinion is that toys should be played with, but that's not what you want to do, and at the moment you are not ready to get rid of it. So stop beating yourself up about the whole thing and feeling guilty

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