To not want a bloody see-saw?

[Chairmaker]

DM has apparently bought DS a see-saw for his third birthday next month, without thinking to ask if we actually wanted one.

It's very generous, I guess, but my main objections are:

1. Our garden is not huge and we've already bought a big slide/climbing frame thing for his birthday that takes up most of the free space. We want to keep some bits free for general running around.

1. DS is an only child and will be remaining that way He doesn't have any friends of a similar age yet he could play on it with. Apparently me or DH 'can just push the other end' I have back problems and anyway that sounds like my idea of hell

I made both of these points to DM (after thanking her for the generous thought) but then got the 'fine, I won't do that again' guilt trip.

So, would I be out of line to ask her to return it? Or tell her that if she doesn't it's just going to live in the garage? She doesn't have a garden of her own it could go in, sadly...

If she's already passed off with you, you might as well tell her now! Plus you don't want to risk it being outside the return date! Ask her to get the little tykes rocker instead 1/2/3 kids can all play on it.

Ridiculously stupid to buy a see saw for an only child who doesn't have tons of friends visiting all the time. Thoughtless to buy large presents that have to go in other people's houses/gardens!

My parents came to babysit while we went to a wedding, woke up to be greeted by a massive trampoline, despite me telling them we absolutely didnt want one in our at least 45degree garden bastards!! Dc love it though... but still

I don't want to piss her off too much -or at all, in fact!- cause she very kindly provides vital childcare. And cause she's my mum and I hate arguing with anyone. I'll say it in person on Monday. She's only just bought it, so should be OK for returning next week.

Oh god Dangly, at least ours didn't just appear! I know DS would love it, that's part of the problem...

Just let granny push him on it.
A lot.

She might think more next time...?

I'd probably need to move her in with the amount DS would want to play on the damn thing... Plus she has arthritis, which she is very aware I'm being assessed for too, and DH is 50 with all the accompanying aches. I really don't know what she was thinking.

In other news, DS is steadfastly refusing to go to bed and I'm feeling hormonal so I'm having wine despite being at work tomorrow. THIS CAN ONLY END WELL.

Lol I know, bastards eh!? Nearly 2 years later I'm nearly over it. They also bought a seesaw for our old slabbed everywhere garden

Hmm, could you not just say ds is v upset as he wont be able to use it much, it would be sooo much better for him if he had the little tikes one as he could play solo or with friends.

Good lord. Did you ask them if they were secretly trying to kill your children?!

DS is pretty much non-verbal, so she'd probably suspect he hadn't said that if I suggest it

Well thats maybe it, although her right on the beach very sharp stairs house is def more lethal,.. hmm I shall explore that chair

Ah damn, it came to you in a dream? Lol

I have an only child and he has a seesaw that I put together last year when he was two. Sure it's annoying when he's alone and I have to spin it and move him up and down. But he has friends over a lot and it gets plenty of use. So being an only child doesn't automatically make a seesaw pointless.

I do have an absolutely massive garden though, so I don't mind space being taken up with a seesaw. So I'd focus on the lack of space, rather than the lack of a sibling, as children do make friends from this age, onwards.

Could you adopt a three year old and move to a house with a bigger garden?

Springer, true, he might get some friends soon...he's non-verbal and has some autistic traits though, so he really struggles and to be honest I'm not holding my breath!

acasual That would solve my problem, but sadly I would then be incredibly poor. And also have a random three year old.

Yanbu.
Anything large should be consulted on first!
I insist on it and have sent ridiculously sized items back (MIL eventually got the message).
My personal favorite was a huge bloody trampoline she bought 'because it was on offer and might be good for when they are older' (twin boys - currently 3 years old).
It's not like we havent got space, we have 2000 acres of land with a 5 acre lawn around the house but I still want consulting on big stuff first. Just because we've got a big place doesn't mean I want it filling with shit.

Yanbu, stick to your guns.

YABU. Get to some groups and invite some friends around. If your ds doesn't socialise much with other children a seesaw is a really good toy for him to have as it's practically impossible to play with on your own.

YANBU. She should check with you first before buying toys that take up so much space. PIL's bought DD a slide and a swing for her first birthday without consulting us. And I don't mean one of those little baby slides and a toddler swing with sides round the seat so they can't fall out. They bought full sized ones that are still too big for her now she's nearly three! Our house was on the market at the time so DH suggested we might leave them in the boxes and not bother assembling them until we were in the new house but they got really offended and accused us of being ungrateful. He ended up assembling the swing and slide only to take them apart a couple of months later when we sold the house. Madness.

This would be an easy one for me... At all birthdays and christmases when my DD and DSis's two were younger, there were always amazing presents from my parents, but often accompanied by "this one's for staying at our house".

Simple - the seesaw lives at granny's house. Might help her think a bit more next time! (sorry for PA!)

YANBU, what a ridiculous present for an only child. Make her keep it in her hallway