To siphon off less popular presents and donate

[BexR]

My 6yo DC got loads of presents at xmas. Some were very similar to existing stuff eg remote control car where he has 2 already.

As he barely registered them on xmas day I put them in a bag and put it to the side. He clearly has favourite toys that hes been engrossed in.

I'm tempted to keep aside, see if he mentions them, and if not donate the new unnoticed things to a food bank or similar.

We don't have the space for all this stuff. If I asked him he wouldn't want to part with anything.

But is this a shitty thing to do?

I don't know if it's shitty, but it definitely is what I do after every birthday and Christmas.

Otherwise we'd be up to our necks.

If I could her away with it, I would. My kid has a freakishly good memory for this stuff so I’ve no chance.

For what it’s worth, we have exactly the same problem- my parents have given our 18 month old waaaay too much stuff (guilt for not seeing her I suspect) - and although I tried to say don’t spend that much/you don’t need to feel obligated to buy her lots of gifts; their only response is “we set a budget, stuck to it, and bought what we liked”. Hence, I have no option but to “audit” the toy piles after Xmas and birthdays as I have tried to stop them but my pleas fall on deaf ears. I think you should do an audit too!

No it’s a sensible thing to do.

My parents just used to do an audit and make us pick what to give away.

Plus toys much needed by charities right now, I imagine.

Totally justified if you ask me!

On several Christmasses, when ours were little, we put unnoticed things to one side & gave them back to them at various points throughout the year. On one occasion, we even re-wrapped a fairly big toy for their birthday a few months later!

They always had so much when they were little - it was too overwhelming & things didn't get the appreciation they deserved otherwise.

It’s definitely the right thing to do!

Yes definitely do this. A women’s refuge would love them.

We put them in a cupboard to either regift for birthday parties etc (if they're decent toys but just similar to stuff we already have), give back later in the year or save for the next year.

We've tried to curb the flow of 'stuff' by giving lists, making suggestions, asking / pleading with them not to buy so much, explaining how small our house is and how we physically have no where for all these toys to go etc. But no joy. So I don't feel guilty about doing it now.