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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to hide away certain toys next time these kids visit...?

92 replies

Scaramoose · 27/03/2018 10:49

This is semi lighthearted but, tbh, I am also a bit irritated. DH thinks it's funny though as he says that Playmobil appears to have unleashed my inner control freak (as I'm not generally anything of the sort!)

We got DS the Playmobil Ghostbusters fire station for Christmas and other members of our family got him the accompanying playsets. We had visitors over Christmas, and the it was played with loads. However, when a certain two kids were here it was just dismantled, the stickers peeled off, tiny parts spread all over the house etc. DH said that this is what happens, kids play with stuff and it get trashed. The kids parents said the same. I'm not so sure, it didn't need to be dismantled and spread all over the place, or stickers peeled off, or chewed! It just seems destructive rather than playful whereas with other kids this hasn't been the case at all.

They came again this weekend and, to try and be reasonable (and not hide it!) I asked them not to spread it round the house or to take any remaining stickers off. They didn't, but it was pretty much dismantled (anything that could be taken apart was, and now some of the tiny bits are lost.)

I think I'm being particular as I think the thing that is so great about Playmobil is the little parts and the detail, so if most of those are lost or spoiled it ruins it. Also, it's not bloody cheap!

So, AIBU by putting it, and anything similar, in a cupboard the next time they come or is this just what kids do and I need to loosen up...?!

OP posts:
Whatififall · 27/03/2018 10:52

No. DD loves Playmobil and she’d be upset if someone dismantled her sets.
Same as Lego. We have a box of stuff to create and play with and then she has her sets that are made up. They are played with regularly but not taken apart. That’s what the box of spares is for.
Keep them out of reach. Those kids sound disrespectful.

FadedRed · 27/03/2018 10:54

YANBU to put it away when these children visit.
It was your Ds's Christmas present only three months ago and shouldn't be 'trashed'.
Give them something to play with that can't be damaged, or get some cheap tat from Poundland just for them if you feel you must provide something for them to play with.
I'm with you over this, Op.

HollyBayTree · 27/03/2018 10:54

Put nice stuff away.

brownelephant · 27/03/2018 10:56

yanbu
other alternative would be to meet that child only at a park.

Fruitbat1980 · 27/03/2018 10:58

I am currently watching ghostbusters with a poorly 4yo who is obsessed and the playmobile ghostbuster sets are prized possessions. In fact he sleeps with the marshmallow man.
Yadnbu. We often move certain toys to my room when people visit if they are precious. No kid has to share everything (although if he wants it while they are here then he must share).
As an aside- playmobile do a great spare parts service which we regularly use as slimers arms keep going missing! Hmm what has my life become!

Original poster
Scaramoose · 27/03/2018 10:59

Phew, glad it's not just me then!

They are lovely kids, but just seem destructive. When he has played with it with his other friends you can hear them doing roleplay or banging stuff around but it all seems normal. However, dismantling, losing, picking off stickers etc doesn't (not to me anyway) and only happens when they have come. And yes, he hasn't even had it that long either!

OP posts:
Original poster
Scaramoose · 27/03/2018 11:00

Fruitbat I have a small list now of parts I need to replace! The phone was taken apart and now I can only find the base of it, for starters. And the test tubes, the lid off the green jar etc etc - ARGH!

OP posts:
Original poster
Scaramoose · 27/03/2018 11:01

I also need new stickers as loads of those got picked off or just picked at!

OP posts:
AtSea1979 · 27/03/2018 11:02

YANBU I always hid the expensive Lego sets when we had visitors, same with all the tiny Sylvanian bits.

WhyteKnyght · 27/03/2018 11:04

YANBU. Your DS isn't dismantling and losing bits from his own sets, so why should he have it spoilt by other kids? Just quietly put them away before they come the next time and leave out only the more robust toys.

Original poster
Scaramoose · 27/03/2018 11:06

I’m relieved to read that there are other toy hiders out there!

OP posts:
Phillipa12 · 27/03/2018 11:08

I have a few toys that get put on top of the fridge when my dnephew comes over, and its not because he breaks them, he just cant share and im not putting up with his screaming if my ds happens to start playing with something he desperately wants. The play mobil thing would bug me greatly, luckily hes not into play mobil......yet!

BossWitch · 27/03/2018 11:11

I have friends coming over in a couple of weeks with their kids. I'm already compiling a list of my dd's toys that will be hidden upstairs in my wardrobe. Dd is a very gentle and particular child and she gets upset when other children don't play nicely with her things. Fair enough, so would I!

HaveYouSeenMyHat · 27/03/2018 11:13

That would really bother me too YANBU.

I hate it when tiny pieces of Playmobil get lost and I can’t rest until they are found!!

honeylulu · 27/03/2018 11:13

Absolutely put it away. my son got the Playmobil hospital for his birthday one year and it took my H and BIL hours to assemble it all. Annoyingly the first thing son wanted to do was start pulling it apart. He was told firmly not to and we explained that there was no way it would be reassembled for him if he did. He was if course able to "play" with it by doing as he pleased with the mobile pieces.

On two occasions after that friends (boys) came to play and the first thing they did was start pulling it apart. Son was upset and we did help him put it back together.

On another occasion a friend (girl) came round and tidied the hospital, tucked the patients up in bed etc!

However on balance we decided to hide it when most other kids came round.

Tringley · 27/03/2018 11:14

I'm lucky enough to have a playroom so my system is to store the bigger more robust toys in the playroom. The precious toys with smaller pieces, like Imaginext sets and Lego, are stored in DS's bedroom. Certain visiting kids are allowed in his bedroom, when others come I lock his bedroom door as I know they would destroy them. DS would be deeply upset afterwards if they were ruined because he takes really good care of his toys and expects all the pieces to be intact each time he plays with them.

Most toys are made to be played with over and over again for years if not generations. They aren't made to be ruined in an hour or two.

DairyisClosed · 27/03/2018 11:15

YANBU. You should have to about reconstructing the damn thing each time they come over.

Original poster
Scaramoose · 27/03/2018 11:16

The two kids I’m talking about in this instance both girls!
Yes, I do feel a bit precious about the Playmobil stuff, And also can’t understand why they can’t just play with it but have to dismantle it instead.

OP posts:
Fruitbat1980 · 27/03/2018 11:20

As a fellow ghostbuster fan AIBU to tell you h&m are doing great GB T-shirts at the mo! We have 3 one on, one to wash, one ready to go. The obsession is real 😬
Also- we lost the little burger from the van and I spent way to long looking for it Grin

itshappenedagain · 27/03/2018 11:24

Definitely hide it! I friends children are destroyers. I only learnt this after they came over the first time. When they came over this weekend I told my children to put anything breakable up on high shelves and some things went inside my wardrobe!
It sounds terrible but I couldn't stand the thought of having to build Lego and remove pen from my walls again.
I think different families have different boundaries and rules.

MrsDilber · 27/03/2018 11:24

I've had this happen and thought the exact same thing as you. Yanbu. Be prepared for them to ask where it is though.

Jimmychunga · 27/03/2018 11:25

It's all about learning respect, whatever the age. To dismantle and remove the stickers is disrespetful. I would keep any toys that I wouldn't want ruined out of sight, they are expensive to purchase and your child hasn't even had much of a chance to play with it said toy, before they trashed it. I would feel the same as you.

Trialsmum · 27/03/2018 11:26

Oh god, I’d be gutted if that happened to our Playmobil!

1099 · 27/03/2018 11:28

Sorry to go against the grain, but you sound a bit 'overinvested' in your sons toy. Is he bothered by the way it is played with by these others kids, or is it you. I'm not trying to be argumentative, as it happens I felt the same way about my sons Lego, but then I watched 'the Lego Movie' and realised I was a bit like the Dad, making the sets was what it was all about etc, but my son loved taking them apart, in the past I've spent a full day trying to find all the pieces to rebuild them. I've now accepted we have a different view of what playing with them means. If your son isn't bothered, why are you, if he is see what he wants to do with his toys to stop them being taken apart.

ZigZagIntoTheBlue · 27/03/2018 11:32

I put things that I don't want played with away in my room and shut the door. It's been drilled in that they don't go in there with their friends, ever. Ds1 also sometimes decides he doesn't want to share a particular item so that goes away too.