The hate the gift my DH bought

[rabbitsy]

DH recently bought a huge inflatable armchair for the kids and it's caused me nothing but stress. There's been fights over who gets to use it and thrown around the house like a ball, I've had to move it out of the way from the stairs and doorways. The one time I packed it away it was just taken out again, blown up to a ludicrous size and DS blocked the valve with glue and tape.

I don't hate fun, and I like to think I can take a joke but the fact that that they've actually gone to the point of stopping me from packing it away feels like the last straw. DH doesn't seem to care, and I feel like I'm left cleaning up a mess he created

I need a photo of the chair to make up my mind!

Buy another. Job done.

If your son is old enough to get and use glue by himself, then he can help look after/move it. Mine had them, they find them fun. It isn't like a set with lots of little pieces etc. I think that you are going to have to get over it.

This. Comments are so mean spirited. Your husband got something the kids are having a lot of fun with. It might be in the way, but a mess? Kids playing and fighting is developmentally appropriate. Just ignore. It is an inflatable chair. It won’t last forever.

How old are the kids?

If they're not old enough to stop throwing it around when you've told them not to, and to stop moving it around so it's in the way of the stairs etc, tell them you'll put it away until they're older.

But if they're 2.5 years or above, they should really start doing as they're told.

The OP can't put it away can she? The valve is blocked.

You sound a bit miserable tbh

Get kids to sort a rota for using it and tell them to tidy up!

The kids probably don't know that 😂

https://foter.com/photos/206/bubble-inflatables-inflatable-chair-2.jpg
This is similar enough to the one we have It's really quite big, and is definitely more of an adult-sized chair than a toy chair for kids. The main issue isn't any "mess" it's just a massive obstacle that seems to get in the way no matter where it's put. It also squeaks constantly when used

I've tried to come up with solutions like asking it to be kept in one room and even packed it away when it got too much, I just don't think it's worth the trouble it's brought, more time is spent fighting over it than actually using it

Oh come on. You've never damaged or 'lost' extremely annoying toys? Really?
Get you.

This would annoy the hell out of me, but also my kids are pretty much adults now, so I look back on stuff like this and wish I'd let it wash over me a bit more rather than getting stressed. Inflatables don't last long - they'll either get bored, or it will deflate or get a hole, so I'd try and put up with it for a few weeks more - maybe it will have to be put away to make room for the Christmas tree and hopefully will be forgotten by January? But I agree with others that your dh and kids (if they're old enough) should be the ones making sure it's not blocking the stairs, etc.

Buy one for each child, blow them up so much that they can’t be manoeuvred through the doorway.

It's obviously quite the reverse, as they can't stop fighting over it.

Which demonstrates as a very successful gift because they all love it. I would be getting them one each.

Glueing the valve is shortsighted and destroys the value and utility of the chair (the entire point of it is that it can be inflated and deflated) for short-term personal gain. It's really not something that would be valued over diplomacy, flexibility, and communication skills in an adult professional in a company likely to remain viable longterm. It's also exactly the kind of thing a 6-10 year old would think of, so not really a "skill" in short supply! If the child's under two then I concede; it's quite precocious.

Perhaps OP can take a leaf from the baby genius's book and glue the chair down to the living room floor so it can't be moved. Perhaps choose one of the children and glue his/her trousers to the chair seat so there's no controversy over who gets to sit on it?

Either that, or dh needs to draw up a rota for who has it and when, and it stays in the kids room when it's their turn. This is what I'd do if it's not possible for people to follow simple rules like "it stays in its place and if it's moved for a purpose, it goes back as soon as you're finished."

How old are they? Could they keep it for a few days each in their bedrooms on a rota?

I wouldn't put up with them constantly arguing/fighting over anything. If they can’t play nicely it would be put away (with a pin!)

If the OP feels one is too big and gets in the way, why are some people suggesting two of them?

That makes no sense.

OP, how old are the kids?

This. Just bide your time and wryly smile as it happens.

Keep it in their rooms out of your way
OR
just burst the f*Cker and chuck it in the bin.

It's hideous and would annoy me as much as the fights.

My mother bought DS a drum for Christmas when he was three. I happened to mention that I wondered what would happen to the drum if it was cut and left the elc scissors close by. "Oh darling, what a shame, who'd have thought that would happen". Is one of the dc young enough to play that one?

It's hideous and would annoy me as much as the fights.

My mother bought DS a drum for Christmas when he was three. I happened to mention that I wondered what would happen to the drum if it was cut and left the elc scissors close by. "Oh darling, what a shame, who'd have thought that would happen". Is one of the dc young enough to play that one?

Are you a tad jealous tbat your partner has got them a gift that’s an overwhelming hit with tbe DC?

Could you wash your hands of it from now on, and say that DH is solely in charge of any arguments over it's use?

It will slowly deflate and now they've glued the valve shut they won't be able to re-inflate it. Own goal really.

YANBU - Poke a small hole in it using a needle, maybe on the bottom so it won't really be noticeable. It'll slowly deflate and because the valve has been filled with glue it won't be possible to reinflate it ;)

@Junebughustle Maybe this isn't relevant to the OP's situation, but you could really do with considering the fact that many people live in small flats or tiny terraced houses. Something like this in the wrong place really would get in the way, all then time.