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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Memory/keepsake boxes

32 replies

Roopoo · 24/04/2013 15:29

I haven't done memory boxes for either DC.
The thought had never crossed my mind until a friend mentioned keeping her DS's first tooth to put in... She seemed genuinely horrified that my children wouldn't have these boxes to look through when older...

I am now thinking I should have kept first babygrow and cord tag etc...

AIBU in not having done them... Im really hoping no one does them as Im feeling a bit of a shoddy parent.

OP posts:

GruffaloAteMySocks · 24/04/2013 15:31

I've done one for my DD, but I don't think you're a shoddy parent for not doing one. You could always start one now, if it really bothers you but encourage your DC to put things that mean something to them in.

Original poster

Roopoo · 24/04/2013 15:34

I like the idea of DC helping with the boxes ! Thanks!

OP posts:

wibblyjelly · 24/04/2013 15:50

I've never heard of this, but I might do one for ds

dilanddan · 24/04/2013 15:58

I never had one and didn't feel like I missed out on anything.

But I have been collecting lots of my DD's things and put them all in a keepsake box. Cord stump, 1st babygro, baby record book, scan pics, fave outfits. Just bits and bobs that I think "I'd like to show her that when she's older" I have no idea whether she'll be interested. But I wouldn't feel bad for not doing one for your DC. They'll still love looking back at photos :) which I think is far better storage-wise than boxes haha

DinoSnores · 24/04/2013 16:02

Why, oh why, would anyone keep a cord stump??? There is NO way I'd want mine or my teeth! Or indeed my children's!

(that's me feeling sick rather than envious!)

I do memory boxes for our lives in general, so I have kept scan photos, letters, cards, mementos from important events etc.

Ezza1 · 24/04/2013 16:08

I've got their scan pics, hospital tags and first bought outfits (as opposed to babygros - I only ever buy white babygros or use hand me downs)

For some reason the cord clamp makes me feel a bit nauseous so always gets thrown asap!

My DD has been collecting her own keepsakes over the years and is not bothered about not having baby teeth and hair gathering dust. DS #1 is not interested and would probably boak if I showed him a first tooth or something.

popcornpaws · 24/04/2013 16:28

I've got a memory box with all the cards we received after my dd's birth, scan pic, wrist band, first pair of shoes, first outfit etc.
We have looked through it often and it is a lovely thing to have, my dd was tiny when she was born so from her point of view its the size of the outfits she loves as she can't imagine having ever been so small!

starfield · 24/04/2013 17:52

I came across one my mum had done for me when I was about 22. I was very ill and had just ended a long-term relationship. Seeing the cards and drawings, little outfits and journals and random objects (like the misshapen lego car I 'cooked' when I was five) made me realise that my roots were deep, I was loved and could get through anything.

Now, as a fairly new parent, it's particularly fun to try the retro clothes and read the new baby journal especially the evidence showing she didn't follow her own advice

starfield · 24/04/2013 17:53

cord stump?? no no no...

Fuzzysnout · 24/04/2013 18:12

Cord stump? Just ewww!

TigerSwallowTail · 24/04/2013 19:17

I've literally just put DS's together today, he's 6 but I managed to find some things lying around the house from when he was younger. I'm going to put some of his school work and drawings and stuff in it too.

How old are your dc? It might not be too late to start saving some things.

dilanddan · 26/04/2013 17:03

Haha, ok, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the cord stump!! I had a little sterile air tight pot to hand and chucked it in there and in the box. It just fascinates me I suppose, that's what connected me to my little girl and was her lifeline for 9mths. Maybe not to everyone's taste. But to me it's not much different that collecting your kids' teeth as they fall out :/

Sorry for grossing people out!!

CrapBag · 26/04/2013 17:09

I love doing stuff like this. Mainly because I have my own or three memory boxes that I have kept stuff in and I like to look back. I have done a box for each of my DC and I kept their baby record books up to date although I always regretted not getting DD a better record book. DS's was so much better. I also kept those frames where you put a photo in of each month until they are 1.

I don't think any of my friends have done it though. I enjoy doing it and even if the kids don't want to keep the boxes then I will, but I hope they will enjoy looking back at them. DS is 5 and can spend ages looking through photo albums, DD is 2 and she seems to like photos too so hopefully they will appreciate it.

I wouldn't think it was shoddy parenting for not doing it though. I read on here before how someone kept a special folder of their DCs artwork as they come home with so much, that is my next project and something you can start anytime. I still like the fact that my nan has my clay animals (yes they are a cat, dog and a dragon no matter what people say about them, I was 7 ok! ).

AKissIsNotAContract · 26/04/2013 17:15

I don't think they are necessary.

A friend of mine got all excited about her 18th birthday present, thought it was going to be something amazing. Her mum gave her a pot with all her baby teeth in it. Why would anyone want that?

TigerSwallowTail · 26/04/2013 17:31

That's pretty grim akiss, was she disappointed or did she know this was what she was getting? DS's box doesn't have any body parts, no teeth, hair, chord stump or placenta, just pictures, drawings and report cards!

freddiefrog · 26/04/2013 17:39

I was given little books when my DDs were born, and there's a hospital tag in there, a curl from their first haircut, and I jotted down first words, when they walked, etc but I don't actually have any idea where they are and there are no teeth/cord stumps in there

We have a sort of memory wall, one of the dining room walls is covered with photos of days out, holidays, 1st day at school, etc, etc. We started it 11 years ago when we moved here and added to it over the years. I love standing looking at it, brings back lots of happy memories

Luckyxstar · 26/04/2013 18:54

Our Mum kept all mine and my sisters milk teeth in a jar and I have kept both my kids placenta stumps. A bit weird, maybe?

Dawndonna · 26/04/2013 19:06

I kept 1st haircut, babygrow, shoes, teeth, school scribblings and pictures.
I didn't tell Ds 1, just handed him a shoebox when he left home. He absolutely loved it.
It's not too late. Start now and enjoy.

Sosmum · 26/04/2013 19:34

Ummmmmmmm................I too have cord stump from both my dc's.

I love the memory boxes I have collected over the years, for dd it has all her hospital tags and mine, birthday cards, school work, a few photos, leaflets from days out we've had, her first shoes, a special outfit from when she was a baby.

DS is only 6 months but his has all his hospital stuff from birth, every single appointment letter I have been sent as he was born was an abnormality, he had a operation at 3 months so I have stuff from that too.

I can't wait to show them when they are older, in fact dd is 7 and loves to go through it from time to time now!

DoJo · 26/04/2013 21:56

I too must confess to keeping my son's cord stump - at the time it was so odd that this was 'his' when everything else was stuff that would be his as it were, but the stump was all him. I realised even at the time that it was a bit gross, but can't bring myself to throw it away now. However, I have a memory box which is more for me, to remember his first year etc and then another which is more for his benefit so that he can look back at things that will actually mean something to him. (And will hopefully contain much less gross stuff!)

HopingItllBeOK · 26/04/2013 22:14

I have memory boxes for DS1&2 which has things from big events in their lives which have meant something to them at the time. DS2's has tickets from the first football match he went to, and the Olympics tickets and table tennis ones and... General sports things. DS1's has a programme from his first exhibition, the paper he presented to the local uni through a science competition at school, a rock from the cave he went potholing in in his first trip away from home alone. Both have photos from Italy on their first trip abroad with the Scouts, photos of every house we have lived in with a map on the back detailing the neighbours they knew, commendation letters from their schools and a copy of our family tree.

DP is in charge of DS3's memory box as he is a cord stump saving grimmer and I refuse to have anything to do with that sort of behaviour. The thing is shrivelled and rank! I'm not putting anything into a box that has a piece of desiccated human flesh in it, so I pass things to DP for him to put in the box. I don't even know where the box is, as it would slightly freak me out every time I went into whichever cupboard it was in if I knew it was there.

BlackeyedSusan · 26/04/2013 22:26

my children have got one each.baby cards/first birthday cards/first pair of those little squishy baby shoes. and 6 inches of dust on top.

stiffstink · 26/04/2013 22:33

I need an entire room for the shit I've kept (and DH has).

Birth announcements, national newspapers of the day, local newspapers of the day, hospital wristbands and yes, his umbilical cord. If he is as weird as me, he will love inspecting it in years to come. If not, ah well.

I let my mum fill in his bbook of firsts etc, I can't remember what I had for breakfast. Do you have an interfering MIL who could do the book of firsts?

specialsubject · 26/04/2013 22:56

you keep bits of decaying body tissue?????

I do family history research and found myself reading my own birth announcement. It's actually quite weird!

keep vaccination records and photos. All else is clutter.

MiaowTheCat · 27/04/2013 08:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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