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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to veto tacky merchandise?

66 replies

abbyfromoz · 30/03/2013 22:13

DD is almost 2 and is starting to get really keen on Peppa Pig. Everywhere we go we hear 'Pebig!!! Pebig!!'
I don't mind her watching it.
I know she would ADORE wearing Peppa P.J's or eating on a Peppa plate- cuddling a Peppa doll or wearing a Peppa backpack- but it makes me cringe with the tackiness of it.
I feel quite mean but I don't know what it is- i just really can't stand tat.
she has plenty of (mostly) wooden toys or nice looking ones eg, schleich, heimess or brio...and loves her drawing easel
I also don't like anything with a slogan or motif (eg. 'Here comes trouble') puke.
Am i depriving her? Or does anyone agree with me?

OP posts:

gordyslovesheep · 30/03/2013 22:15

hahaha she is less than 2 ...good luck in the next few years

choose your battles wisely

HollyBerryBush · 30/03/2013 22:16

Ah, its wonderful when you can control influences.

All I'll say is wait for peer pressure when school starts!

MrsRajeshKoothrappali · 30/03/2013 22:16

I'm 50/50.

If she'd ADORE wearing Peppa Pig pyjamas then why can't she have some? It'll make her happy.

I can't stand tat either but if it makes my child happy I'll put up with it. And it's not all tat. Just pick out the best/nicest of the tat.

[busmile]

StuntGirl · 30/03/2013 22:17

Wooden doesn't always mean better, or that it's not tat, and I say that from my anti-plastic materials stance.

Sleepyfergus · 30/03/2013 22:22

I get what you're saying....we're currently in a 'Hello Kitty' phase at the moment (dd1 is 3.5yo)

Like a pp said, choose your battles wisely. A plastic plate and the odd Tshirt are ok....you don't have to buy all the tat going. And some stuff is actually okay, reasonably cute and well made.

I personally can't stand love hearts on everything. 'Next', I'm looking at you!

500internalerror · 30/03/2013 22:26

This is what you do :
Buy pjs rather than daytime clothes- she will love them, you don't have to be seen out with her wearing them!
Buy cutlery - the picture will soon wear off the handle
But her the smallest cuddly, she will love it & it doesn't have to take up space.

Out of interest, how long do you think you can avoid plastic tat & character Merch for???!

scottishtablet · 30/03/2013 22:29

Aw, get her some pjs or a t-shirt, it's not the end of the world. Or a pencil case for her easel maybe?

I dislike the slogan'ed stuff too though.

Floggingmolly · 30/03/2013 22:35

Your idea of "nice looking" toys will differ hugely from a two year old's perspective. Since when have toys needed to look nice anyway?
My 6 year old is currently obsessed with Trash Packs - little gargoyles the size of your thumbnail with the texture of snot.

It's all ahead of you...

Original poster

abbyfromoz · 30/03/2013 22:40

Awww ok... Mummy guilt setting in. I might have to give in with the p.j's....

OP posts:

TravelinColour · 30/03/2013 22:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Startail · 30/03/2013 22:45

PJs are good they out grow them, small cuddlies are OK. Avoid themed plastic play. They are nothing like as well made as happy land, wow or Duplo and you can't add to them.

steppemum · 30/03/2013 22:49

In principle I agree with you, but in practice my dds love something with peppa or Hello Kitty on, and it makes their day to get the 'tinkerbell plate' at lunchtime

I have some limits and some times when I just go - it's only a plastic plate, what does it matter.

My (unspoken) limits are that I don't buy it on anything I want to last, or major item, in case the enthusiasm wanes. So no duvet covers, or curtains, not usually winter coat, bike etc. But I did once buy a Dora coat because it was the only one I could find that fit. And dd2 has a Tinkerbell lunchbox because I made the mistake of saying she could choose which ever one she liked as long as it was the right shape to fit the lunch and drink into...

and I buy the nice version not the tacky version. Eg there are some very nice clothes, nice pattern colour and design which happen to be Peppa pig, and there are some very cheap tacky sequined tat. I don't buy the tat.

Startail · 31/03/2013 00:32

DD1 (15) changed her tinkerbell quilt cover for DD2'S birthday sleep over. She'd never worry about her own friends seeing it. Her friends are lovely, they are grown up when it matters and still eight when it doesn't.

DD2 will do teenage for all of them.

OkayHazel · 31/03/2013 00:44

I took my little sister's teletubbies duvet cover to university! Slogan stuff was cool as a kid, and now it's retro! I still love it!

TheUnsinkableTitanic · 31/03/2013 05:03

just bought the tackiest hello kitty duvet covet ever this week (alright it was the cheapest in the shop as in the sale) but DD1 is beside herself with excitement about it

i reckon the best £12 ever spent to have her skip to bed and stay there all night :)

i agree with pick your battles - currently DD2 loves to go out wearing peppa pig from head to toe. yesterday she had peppa clips in her hair, peppa baseball boots, peppa pants, peppa socks and we mutually agreed that the jeans and tee shirt although no peppa logo where the types of things peppa would wear :)

noblegiraffe · 31/03/2013 05:22

Peppa pig toys are shit, spindly arms and badly made, definitely don't buy those. Octonauts toys, on the other hand, are great. My DS has had so much imaginative play out of them.

I find myself far more kindly inclined to character stuff when I actually like the programme myself. Also, you have to remember who the toys are for!

Megatron · 31/03/2013 07:28

Aw she's a baby, let her have some PJs or a plate or something. Wooden toys are lovely but my idea of having only a few carefully chosen lovely toys went out the window pretty quickly when someone pointed out to me that the toys were actually for my children and not just to look nice. They kind of had a mix of both. Agree with the slogan stuff though, can't stand it.

Sirzy · 31/03/2013 07:35

Buy her some peppa stuff for her birthday! It's not about what you like it's about what she likes. You can get some lovely peppa playsets.

I agree with the PJs rather than clothes compromise, the only character clothes DS has are ones which we have been given and they are used as nursery t shirts.

ThePigOfHappiness · 31/03/2013 07:40

We were never allowed anything with a slogan or tv character as kids. All our toys were ethically this and gender neutral that. We just wanted what other kids our age had and not have to be so worthy about it all.
As a result my kids have had a fair amount of merch, I reckon it's worth it. Yes, ok, it's all shit, but it makes them happy for now.

seeker · 31/03/2013 07:45

Good luck. Been there, tried to do that- failed!

Original poster

abbyfromoz · 31/03/2013 07:51

Yeah... No....
I will get her some p.j's... Maybe a plate...
Re; what she likes... Well she has plenty of toys that she does like that don't look like junk.
I have always tried to avoid ugly toys for this reason- they are in my house. Toys have the power to infiltrate a home. Also it's our money that pays for them
We bought her a huge garish pink piano she loves, and i don't have a problem with duplo.
Our friends have 4 boys and that house is completely overtaken by teeny tiny figurines and toys so tacky they probably came in a happy meal...

OP posts:

Lurkymclurker · 31/03/2013 07:58

I feel you pain, I hate (really hate) Minnie Mouse, can't help it she bugs me in a million ways, but dd 18 months likes her - she is always attracted to the Minnie bits in a shop and will point them out and since she is as much of an individual as I am I do allow toys/drinks bottles etc but it drives me bonkers inside - I live withit because before long she will be demanding all sorts that i also don't approve of!

By the way, if you like wooden toys a quick google finds loads of peppa pig ones? A compromise maybe?

www.peppapigtoys.co.uk/balancing-boat.html

seeker · 31/03/2013 07:59

Abby- if I were you I would print off this thread and keep it safe somewhere so you will find it in 5 years time. You can read it to keep your mind off the sea of pink plastic your home will have become by then!!!!!!

GwendolineMaryLacey · 31/03/2013 08:06

Yes I was like you 5 years ago

Except the toys aren't for you and when I saw dd1's little face light up at the Upsy Daisy top she was pointing at it all went out of the window. It's harmless, makes them deliriously happy and is just a phase. Let the poor little mite have some peppa pig things.

Sirzy · 31/03/2013 08:11

The teeny tiny figures are what children want though. DS is 3 and we have lots of teeny tiny figures because that is what he enjoys playing with, and they are great for allowing him to develop his imagination and to off in a little world.

Just get some proper storage and accept that your daughter is going to have different tastes than you

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