AIBU to veto tacky merchandise?

[abbyfromoz]

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?

[maddening]

Ds loves peppa pig - we got a peppa pig bundle on ebay for £25 (rocket, boat, playground sets, school set, train, camper van and lots of figures) and he has the peppa pig house - he plays with the figures (loves dolls houses and the peppa pig house is smaller for our tiny cottage)

He has a peppa pig pencil case also.

I say go with it :)

[Rosa]

It up to you however if you says she would adore something ...would you not get imense joy seeing her so happy? I know I do. BTW mine have cheap £1 snack boxes with Hello Kitty on. DD1 uses hers daily for school, tupperware one used the previous year lasted about 10 mths Hello Kitty is still going strong!!

[pigletmania]

Yabu life's too short, she's a child so let her be one. She's too young to understand your reasoning and politics. Get her son peppy pig stuff if tats what she would like. Wooden toys are great but not for every Chidren mabey your dd wants a mixture

[MusicalEndorphins]

You can have homemade Peppa Pig dolls and cardigans and so on if you can knit or sew. This doll would be good for your dd's age.

[steppemum]

What you will find is that you have no control over some things. So I have avoided backpacks with characters on, especially sparkly pink ones. Then dd2 got given a Tinkerbell backpack. She will not be parted from it and she instantly became an huge Tinkerbell fan, even though she has no idea who Tinkerbell is, and has never seen the film.

My only consolation is that it isn't pink, and is quite a pretty colour. So I could have hidden the backpack and refused to buy anything with Tinkerbell on it, but instead I let her get on with it, and decided it wasn't a battle worth fighting, and she chose a Tinkerbell lunchbox for school.

You make an interesting connection though that all character mechandise it plastic crap and that all plastic crap is character related.

In fact dd2 has a very nice wooden dolls house with wooden furniture. Instead of buying dollhouse dolls, we bought the peppa pig figures on the internet. It is referred to as the 'Peppa Pig House' and she has played with it solidly for 2 years and it has been the source of much creative and imaginative play. By a little creativity ourselves, we have the best of both worlds.

Buy a nice looking basket for all her 'treasures' and then they will be well hidden!

[EeyoresGloomyPlace]

I think you're being a bit sensitive OP. I said you were being a snob in relation to the toys, not as a personal attack. I am sometimes a bit snobbish about things too, but I have tried for DDs sake not to be restrictive of things she would "adore".

She's only young and children don't need a huge abundance of toys, so you do have a level of control in that of course you shouldn't give in to her wanting every piece of characterised or plastic tat she sees, but on the flip side there really is no harm in a few bits and pieces that don't fit in with your ideal and as she gets older you will have less control so its probably for the best to accept that now!

[Mooshbag]

I think it's more that we value the happiness of our DCs rather than valuing tacky crap. And no one said they had to have everything

[abbyfromoz]

I have taken on board a lot of the (genuine and non critical) advice-

I guess knowing so many people value tacky crap as a necessary part of childhood is helpful in that I will be more prepared for what is ahead!
And i will be more open to some of these toys knowing it is inevitable...

Again- have a happy (non tacky ) Easter all

[Viviennemary]

My Mum was like this. Even if I got money as a birthday present and wanted to spend it on something she considered tat she usually wouldn't let me unless I made a horrendous fuss. [bublush] So I usually tried to let mine have what they wanted at Christmas. Furbies anyone. That was the biggest waste of money ever.

[Sirzy]

Having "tat" doesn't stop children being creative or playing outdoors you know!

[abbyfromoz]

I am lovely Mary i will take your (assumed sarcasm) as a compliment as I don't think it's wise to sum up a person based on a simple AIBU thread.
I guess i am being a little 'snobby about toys' as opposed to being a snob... I'm sure i can live with that though
Happy Easter!

[BruthasTortoise]

I think the fact that you're not only referring to toys makes your OP sound quite "snobbish". Surely a back pack is a back pack and if your DD wants a Peppa Pig then why shouldn't she have one (obviously assuming she needs a backpack of some shape, sort or description)? It seems from that that you're putting aesthetics ahead of your DDs happiness. My DS loves a Happy Meal cuddly he got on a rare trip to McDs, he brings it everywhere with him, if he was your DD would you take it off her because it didn't suit your taste?

[ThePigOfHappiness]

Really op wanted everyone to say "gosh, you're right, how dreadfully tacky" not YABU

[StuntGirl]

Why start an AIBU when you're so adamant you're not?

[JambalayaCodfishPie]

Aibu? Yes.

NO IM NOT!!!

[abbyfromoz]

Oh! I didn't realise you knew my friends? And you are so kindly speaking on their behalf?
Oh please. Don't use your made up insight as a guise to insult me indirectly.
You can translate it as that i don't want my daughter to be happy- but if you were logical you would realise that she has plenty of other toys that make her happy and since when was it a prerequisite for a child's happiness to give them everything they want? Hmmm?

[JambalayaCodfishPie]

I didn't call you a snob. I said your friends think you're a snob.

They're laughing at your pfb-ness about creating perfect childhood memories, wooden toys, treehouses and jam.

They, having four children already, know the reality of 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." loosely translates as "Sorry sweetheart, I dont want you to be happy - what might people think if they saw you???"

[abbyfromoz]

Haha- i love the fact that people are calling me a snob? Nice. If all else fails resort to personal attacks right? Clever.
I would assume you are taking it personally and in that case don't. I never said other people couldn't buy tat. I just rather wouldn't.
I agree- storage is key. I will accept a certain amount of tat will makes it's way in but hopefully a balance.
Also love the idea about creativity. When i was a child we had a room under the stairs where mum stored craft things for us. Stamp kits, sewing box and fabric etc. We never got bored good memories.
We also spent a lot of time outside building a treehouse, riding bikes, picking mulberries and making then into jam... I don't seem to remember any toys besides barbie (which i adored) and my baby doll Rebecca who i will be passing on when DD is old enough to not draw on her face

[BruthasTortoise]

I wonder if you're a friend of mine? Four boys here and, yes, our house is coming down with tiny plastic figures, Lego men, toy soldiers etc. maybe I missed the parenting memo which informed everyone else that we should be hand carving wooden figures from solid oak. As it is I tend to buy my children the toys they like within reason as playing is supposed to be fun. You sound lovely...

[MrsReacher]

When DD1 was 2 we decorated her whole bedroom in Barbie ! Wallpaper, border, curtains, quilt cover, the lot. She is 17 now and still sometimes randomly says "ahhh do you remember my Barbie room!" So look at it as creating childhood memories

My SIL DS was never allowed anything with characters on. I remember him in reception with a grey material bag almost as big as him because she liked it while all around him were Disney cars and Thomas the tank. His clothes were also always really expensive and then she would stress over him getting dirty.

OP Let her enjoy her childhood and you enjoy it because it goes so quick. Mother of teens here !

[wonderingsoul]

i agree to to apoint.

i refuse to buy character tops, as i think they look tacky, i have seen very few that i have thought where nice.
pjs i dont have a problem with, duvets ONLY if they are more cotton then polly as the duvet just doesnt stay in it and always ends up at the bottom in the morning.

plastic tat.. no problem with it.. long as its sturdy, i very rarely refuse to buy £1 store thing or from store 21 as the toys just fall apart.