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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to think kids just don’t need as much ‘stuff’

12 replies

firstworldproblems2018 · 05/04/2018 19:17

Other threads today have got me thinking, along with going shopping today and just seeing so much ‘stuff.’ I did a big de clutter today and have 6 bags of kids’ toys and bits and pieces to take to the charity shop or give away to friends. My kids are nearly 9 and 5 and just don’t seem to play with much.

The little one will do puzzles and likes to play board games, or sit and draw. He also likes to watch tv, play a computer game (limited obviously) and play outside. Sometimes he still plays with his train set. Older one does a sport to a high level and so that takes up a lot of time but even when not doing that she doesn’t really ‘play’ with all the toys we seem to accumulate.

So, AIBU to think that actually, kids don’t need as many toys as lots of them have, and that many toys don’t really get played with? I also find it actually quite depressing the amount of plastic stuff that’s mass produced and then not really played with because it breaks so easily.

OP posts:
ListeningtoBowie · 05/04/2018 19:19

YANBU. Too much stuff. Too much clutter!

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 05/04/2018 19:29

DS(7)'s 'toys' fit in a 4x2 ikea kallax. Most of that is lego and dvds. We then have a further 2 shelves of board games which we play as a family, so they are not really just his. He also has loads of books, mostly of the DK encyclopedia or 'book of records' variety.

However, the things he really 'plays' with are his trampoline, his bike, his ipad and his best friend who lives next door!

I would love him to have a tonne of playmobil and a rich inner fantasy world.. but he's just never been like that!

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 05/04/2018 19:30

Oh and balls. So many balls.

Tainbri · 05/04/2018 19:32

YANBU- especially when they're little - so much plastic crap!

VioletteValentia · 05/04/2018 19:35

YANBU. I don’t buy loads of stuff for my son, he has a few toys and we go out for experiences instead.

A girl I know spends 500 each child at Christmas. I spend between £50-£100 on my son, because there’s just no need.

bingoLounge · 05/04/2018 19:36

Couldn't agree more.

We struggled to think of birthday and Christmas presents recently as our two (6 and 4) simply didn't need or want anything more.

Enidblyton1 · 05/04/2018 19:37

YANBU - it's amazing how much plastic tat you can buy for less than £20 these days. Toys are comaparatively cheaper than a few decades ago.
We have so much lego, playmobil and sylvanians - would love to remove some of it, but at least for the moment it all gets played with. Planning a major cull in a couple of years time!

Argeles · 05/04/2018 19:41

I completely agree op.

My DH and I set out to buy the minimum amount of clothes and toys for our DD’s, and have managed to stick to this. Unfortunately, our family and friends do not seem to understand or support the ‘less is more’ concept, and so we have copious amounts of clothes and toys.

Our first DD didn’t use all of the clothes, and all of those that she did use are in good enough condition for our second DD to use, without the need for her to wear any of the new items. We put our second DD in a new outfit when she’d been born, but since then, she’s been wearing her older sister’s old clothes, as they are in such good condition.

As for toys, our youngest is too young to play with them properly yet, but our oldest has always had her favourite toys, and many toys that she just hasn’t bothered with.

I have taken some clothes and toys to charity, and intend on sorting out more to take.

JessTessMess · 05/04/2018 19:45

Yanbu - I find mind mostly want someone to play with them rather than something to play with, I dread having to come up with ideas for more crap they don’t need for Christmas and birthdays.

Play clay is one of my dcs’ favourites and you can make that.

Schnauzermum2 · 05/04/2018 20:26

We have a large city of playmobil, my 6 yo DS plays with that forever. He’s got an amazing imagination, all he wants for presents is more playmobil. He is busy saving any money he gets for a playmobil zoo so more to add to his world. Apart from a few board games we’ve got rid of everything else as he has no interest. Luckily not really bothered about computer games. Dreading the influx of £10
Crap for his birthday

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 05/04/2018 20:34

Ah, you see Schnauzer that's the kid I thought I was going to get. Grin

I have to buy my own flipping playmobil!!

Allthewaves · 05/04/2018 20:57

Iv just bagged up 9 black bin bags of toys. Mine r 5,7,9. Older two lived their figures and imaginative play but youngest has no interest in most toys. So iv bagged them all and going to find them a new home

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