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Original poster

Children have so much these days they don't treasure their things?

192 replies

UndertheCedartree · 05/07/2022 14:32

I've been sorting out my DC's book shelves today. They have so much. So many books - fiction and non-fiction, my DD has so many art supplies and art books, colouring books etc. It makes me think back to my childhood. I grew up with much wealthier parents than I am but I had far fewer books etc. The books I had I treasured and re-read so many times. My DC haven't read half their books. I'd read mine inside out. My dad used to video films for us off the TV and I watched them over and over. My DC can just put whatever they want on Netflix.

OP posts:
TheSpottedZebra · 05/07/2022 14:34

It's mad, isn't it. We ALL have way too much stuff, really.

Bagpuss2022 · 05/07/2022 14:37

It’s not the kids don’t treasure there things I know my DD does she’s 12 and has certain books figurines and a teddy that she treasures
I think as a society we have so much more stuff now than when we were kids and with so much availability things don’t get used as much

StarWarsisthebest · 05/07/2022 14:39

I agree that children do seem to have so much stuff these days. I don’t know how old your child is but you can make some changes to conteract that. How about limiting the children’s movies to a movie night with popcorn and ice cream. You could remove some of the books and rotate what are there, same with toys. I remember a child psychologist a few years ago saying about presents; children are usually satisfied with up to 3 presents and want to play with them, once they open more and more they get bored with them all and get fractious.

CaramelJones · 05/07/2022 14:40

I had a lot of books as a child and read voraciously. I still loved and valued each and everyone of them.

CaramelJones · 05/07/2022 14:40

Likewise the presents I received.

FrownsAndDimples · 05/07/2022 14:40

I've been feeling like this a lot. I thought we were doing fairly well to limit toys and useless buys but they've ended up with waaaay more than I'd like.

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 05/07/2022 14:41

I don't think that kids and young people even are aware of "treasuring" as a concept. There is always more to be had!

SallyWD · 05/07/2022 14:41

I completely agree. I was thinking this earlier when I was sorting out my children's rooms. They have sooo many books and toys. Boxes and boxes of games and craft kits etc that they haven't even opened. It all seems like such a waste. They're both addicted to gadgets which is part of the problem but it's also the fact they just have too much.

Georgeskitchen · 05/07/2022 14:42

Totally agree. As a child I had one large toy that I chose for Xmas, a selection box and a few small bits. One item for birthday and any pressies I got at birthday party. One Easter egg which tbf were much bigger than today's measly offerings. The expectation nowadays seems to be kids getting new toys and stuff virtually every week. I'm aghast at the amount of stuff my grandchildren have and no they don't really appreciate it.

FourTeaFallOut · 05/07/2022 14:43

I think treasuring things is a bit weird. I mean, I'm sure I had a lot less stuff than my kids and I'm not sure I treasured any of it. They're just things, no need to elevate them to the foreground of our lives.

Aquilegia23 · 05/07/2022 14:44

It's a different world! I grew up in the fifties and sixties, we had very little.

To be fair, there wasn't much available for children in those days. Celebrities become famous for anything at all and they write ( or at a guess, get someone else to write) their books.

New clothes were a rarity, they all got passed down. And Christmas certainly wasn't the mountain of presents that today's children get. We always had a selection box, and a few presents but that was it.

I agree that we all have too much stuff in general, but it's swinging the other way, with sites like eBay, Fb marketplace and Vinted. It's becoming acceptable and politically correct to recycle, which wasn't the case 60 years ago.

Testina · 05/07/2022 14:47

If children have books unread and boxes unopened, it isn’t their fault for not treasuring them - it’s the adult’s fault for buying too much.

My children treasure things - a particular cuddly toy, some very favourite graphic markers, a make up palette that she wishes she bought two of now she’s “hitting pan”… all sorts of things. I don’t see my children reading the same book over and over, but they’ll return to some films many times. Plenty they still love and appreciate.

Aquilegia23 · 05/07/2022 14:48

I am reminded of The Repair Shop, where you have people bringing in a treasured doll that they've had all their lives. I'm sure today 's children don't put such a value on any of their plastic junk toys.

ZaZathecat · 05/07/2022 14:48

Yes children have too much stuff. So do adults. We should stop caring so much about getting Stuff!

Mally100 · 05/07/2022 14:50

I Agree. I grew up with so much less, it was just birthdays and Christmas that we really got any new toys. No such thing as pocket money too. My ds 6yo has SO much stuff. He has a few treasured toys but the rest is just stuff that he gets any time. We have cut back alot of just buying at every whim, but it's hard to teach him appreciation. He isn't ungrateful or demanding but he has this idea that stuff can just be bought anytime.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 05/07/2022 14:50

I got most of my books from the library when I was young...

Local library is open 9-2, Monday to Friday. When the kids are at school...

P

Whatup · 05/07/2022 14:51

You cant have too many books though.

TheWayTheLightFalls · 05/07/2022 14:53

I agree with a pp - we all have too much stuff.

AppaTheSixLeggedFlyingBison · 05/07/2022 14:57

I think a lot of it is the amount of people who buy presents for them now.

So whilst you could limit it to 3 pressies yourself, then their grandparents, aunts, uncles, family friends, friends, etc all get them something and all of a sudden they have more than 20 presents.

Birthdays to an even larger extent as in a lot of schools whole class parties are encouraged

Hardbackwriter · 05/07/2022 14:59

I don't know how old you all are - maybe I'm unusually young for the thread - but I remember my grandparents saying exactly this about my brother and I in the 80s/early 90s.

SparklingPeach · 05/07/2022 15:03

I agree with you that kids have too much stuff, but we as adults need to take responsibility for that, we gave it to them! Time to cut down on birthday and Christmas presents when you're thinking this way OP.

minimadgirl · 05/07/2022 15:13

Can you ever have too many books? We have loads but most of ours all come from the charity shop, very rarely do I buy brand new books and if I do they are the classics.

We perhaps have too many toys though, but again they are all from my local charity shop which we like supporting and when finished with will go back there.

CrispieCake · 05/07/2022 15:14

I think part of it is that our houses are generally quite small and kids have too much stuff for the space. To be treasured, toys and other things need to be treated properly and have their own space where they can be put away. If everything is in a random pile in the corner, it's hard for kids to treasure things.

Fluffruff · 05/07/2022 15:15

An interesting observation. I was an 80s kid growing up abroad and I read books over and over but I think it was mainly because I was bored!!. My parents were working so there were long hours to fill. There were foreign cartoons on for one hr a day. I think today’s children would be be expected to occupy themselves from say 1-6pm like I was. I’d lie for hours on my bed reading. So perhaps a bit of that in making the difference and also as you say, too much stuff. I buy my kids lots of books because it seems to me that you can never have too many! 😂

stayingpositiveifpossible · 05/07/2022 15:18

Eee yes, when I were a lad....we lived in't cardboard box on't motorway...

....getting up before we went to bed....

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