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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Oh help me. Lovely FIL bought trampoline.

33 replies

Boysclothes · 26/05/2015 18:50

Lovely FIL who drives a two hour round trip once a month to look after three year old DS, who let us live with him rent free for three years, who is loving and supportive, has bought a fourteen foot trampoline for DS and erected it in the garden as a surprise today whilst looking after DS.

I could cry. The garden is our joy. It takes up the whole garden. DS can no longer run or ride his bike in the garden. You have to squeeze past. I've come home and made appreciative noises but it's just too too big. You can't sit out on the lawn anymore. You can't get to the flowerbeds. It's awful. It was off ebay.

Please help me what to say.

OP posts:
Excitedforxmas · 26/05/2015 18:52

I would keep it until the next high winds where it will break into a thousand prices!

cashewnutty · 26/05/2015 18:53

Wait a few days, tell him DS fell off it (or hurt himself on it) and is frightened to go on it and you are going to put it away until he is bigger? Hopefully he will forget all about it.

Or come clean and ask him to put it in his garden for DS?

Theycallmemellowjello · 26/05/2015 18:54

How easy is it to take down and store? You could take it out for special treat days in the summer? Otherwise ywnbu to explain to fil there's no room.

Duckdeamon · 26/05/2015 18:55

Your FiL, though well meaning, has made an error and your DP should handle it, and you shouldn't keep it if you don't want one.

justmyview · 26/05/2015 18:55

Could you afford to replace it in a few months time with a smaller trampoline?

"We loved the idea & thanks so much for the inspiration, but this is just a bit more manageable / safer because we don't want DS to have space to do somersaults" ?

It was a bit presumptuous of FIL but sounds like it was kindly meant and you would hurt his feelings if you rejected the gift

BarbarianMum · 26/05/2015 18:55

Oh dear! I'm a great fan of trampolines but even ours only takes up 1/4 of our tiny garden. Does he live nearby (would it be better suited to his garden)? Or maybe ask him to swap it for a smaller model?

You have to say something.

Mrschicken01 · 26/05/2015 18:55

Why don't you suggest that you could sell it off on ebay and purchase a smaller one, whilst al the while thanking him for his thoughtful and wonderful gift, with emphasis on how much your DS loves it but also just honestly explain it is a bit n the not side. If FIL is as lovely as you have portayed him surelY he won't be too devastated?

Original poster
Boysclothes · 26/05/2015 18:55

He was so happy and pleased with himself when I came in. Can't he see it's too big? We have a massive garden but it's taking up the whole width.

OP posts:
CSIJanner · 26/05/2015 18:56

Sell it - get a smaller one with the money and possibly a day out for him and DS. That way, next time he comes to visit, a trampoline is still there

Original poster
Boysclothes · 26/05/2015 18:57

Yes!! DP can handle it! Great idea.

Good idea about selling it on ebay and getting a smaller one. We have a small area at the back of the garden that would be great for a trampoline. But this one doesn't fit there!

OP posts:
WinterOfOurDiscountTents15 · 26/05/2015 18:57

Yes, sell it on ebay and get a smaller one. The thought was lovely, he did a nice thing. And trampolines are fabulous for kids!

littlejohnnydory · 26/05/2015 18:59

TBH, I'd leave it there. If it takes up the whole garden then you haven't got much room for bike riding or running anyway. My children use the trampoline more than anything else we've ever bought. They get so much exercise and fun out of it and it's only a few short years. But if you really can't live with it and there is genuinely no room for a couple of chairs to sit in your garden then how about thanking him profusely but telling him you really need space to sit out, putting it back on ebay and buying an 8ft one instead?

cashewnutty · 26/05/2015 19:02

Selling it and getting a smaller one sounds like a great compromise.

Original poster
Boysclothes · 26/05/2015 19:04

It's fourteen feet in diameter. Honestly, we have a big garden. But it's a beast.

OP posts:
TTWK · 26/05/2015 19:04

Selling it and getting a smaller one sounds like a great compromise.

And tell him it shrunk in the rain Grin

HighwayDragon · 26/05/2015 19:11

Tell him very innocently that it's always been that sizeGrin Grin Grin

YsabellStoHelit · 26/05/2015 19:16

fourteen feet? That's insanity! Can you leave it out for a while then store and just get out occasionally? How easy is it to demolish the beast?

BeeHappyAndSmile · 26/05/2015 19:22

Oh bless him, such a lovely thought even though he didn't quite think it through. I'd go with what others have said and exchange it for a smaller one. Having put together a trampoline on my own, it's not an option to take it apart and get it out on occasions unless you want your DS learning all kinds of new words....

LindyHemming · 26/05/2015 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WonderingWillow · 26/05/2015 19:30

YY To telling him in astonishment that it's always been that size after you replace it with a smaller one that you can store in your shed Wink

DorothyL · 26/05/2015 19:31

I felt the same when we got our trampoline, but we moved it around a bit, I got used to it and it's great to see the kids enjoying it - maybe give it a couple of weeks first?

Original poster
Boysclothes · 26/05/2015 19:33

There's no where for it to move to.... Although the garden is about thirty feet wide it isn't all level. It only fits right across the middle. I'll try and post a pic when FILs gone!

To put this in perspective I live in a spacious 3 bed semi and my bedroom is 14 foot by 17 foot. It's almost as big as a big bedroom.

OP posts:
AGirlCalledBoB · 26/05/2015 19:34

Maybe give it a little while first, you could put it right at the back.

I think it's such a lovely thought and must have cost him a fair amount of money. Kids also get lots and lots of use from trampolines.

Maybe put it right at the back, try and move things around?

MargotLovedTom · 26/05/2015 19:35

How can it take up all of your massive garden if it's 14ft?! 14ft isn't a massive garden surely.

MargotLovedTom · 26/05/2015 19:36

X post with your last post, apologies.

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