To put every toy my kid owns in the garage

[Destroythetoys]

I’m doing it now and fuck me it FEELS GOOD.

He can have them back when he can play with them.

Do you play with DC, model playing with the toys?

@Needmorelego yes and no - but who says there is a “right” way to play with toys? Mine do all sorts of things with their toys and use their imagination. Once you show a child the ‘right way’ it limits their own creativity a bit

Thing is if you go somewhere with similar items, a group or nursery or one of those role play places, he actually plays well. So I think it’s either that he’s got too many toys or that he just likes strewing them around, it feels like the latter tbh and I know it isn’t personal but my god when you’ve put the saddle back on the fucking horse for the thirtieth time it feels it.

@Giveupnow that's true. There is no right or wrong way. It's more about giving them a guide of what the toy is for.
If the tool set has a pretend drill to play with it a child needs to pretend to drill something. Small children may not have actually seen a real drill in action.

You need help. Like now before you do something stupid. Is there anyone you can phone to come over and take the kids and get you help?

No.

@Destroythetoys does the saddle need to be on the horse?
I think limiting the toys is a good thing. Try and only have one type out at a time.
If he wants to play building - get the tool set out. Just that.

Whats CIO?

Well, where else should it be, the bin? I don’t mean to sound like a dick there. If the house was in reasonable order and the saddle was off the horse it wouldn’t matter but since it’s a comb, brush, thermometer , toy dog, cat, syringe, twenty pieces of a tool box, hundreds of toy cars, millions of train set, feels like bilbo baggins picking his way to the fucking Artkinstone whenever you move. Only it definitely isn’t treasure.

Seen your update that kids are asleep. Stuff the toys now go and do something for you, watch a comedy, have a bath etc.

Maybe see if there is a homestart near you who could have a volunteer help you out as you sound a bit isolated. Leave yours where they are and see what kids ask for and get out just that our and put away before next thing for next week and see what happens.

And then when does it get done @littleducks ? Or do we just sink into absolute squalor?

My children do the same thing, just throw their toys everywhere and trash the house/ don’t actually play with anything. It’s absolutely soul destroying having to clean up the mess multiple times a day so I feel
your pain. I also lost the plot a few weeks back and removed most of their toys and put them in the shed. Six black bags full. It was mainly puzzles etc that have loads of small pieces. They have a few big toys left that they can play with. Much easier now to tidy up and I’m tearing my hair out less. This too shall pass and all that

@SquawkerTexasRanger it is rough for you but I am so so glad you said that. I feel like most children play nicely, I mean I don’t expect things to be tidy but when people talk about doing things like painting with their kids … I just can’t even contemplate that.

Wow. Calm down. I've had three boys and they play with toys in an unruly manner. Shit everywhere. All the time. You watch kids on the tv/in films and they are running a train happily on its tracks. In real life? Never happens. They've smashed the trains into water, off the train table, ripped up tracks, piled them everywhere. It's what they do. No game is ever played with "properly". You just accept that and then at the end of the day you put it all away. My boys are 22, 11 and 7 now and they are still messy. I've just learnt to love with it.

@Destroythetoys I think putting the toys away is a good thing - for now.
They are out the way so you don't have to look at them
Go to bed/watch TV/read a book (whatever you prefer).
Your babies are asleep.
Tomorrow wake up. It's a new day.
If the children ask for a particular toy then say they can play with that toy and that toy only.
Remember - they are little. They won't be doing this on purpose.
It will get better. They will play in a more sensible way as they get older.
You can do this 💐

We have an IKEA kallax with each type of toy in a separate box. They can have one box out at once (e.g. cars, toy food, Duplo, train set etc) and they have to put it away before they are allowed another box. It works reasonably well. Right now they have been to 2 parties so there's party bag stuff everywhere so still a mess! And a lot inevitably ends up under the sofa. I wouldn't allow emptying of multiple boxes though.

Painting isn't worth the agro. Paint sticks are good. Or cutting and sticking pictures from magazines. Although I don't think home craft is worth the bother for under 4s.

I feel this. I got 5 bin bags full of toys out the living room the other day. Felt fucking amazing.

This is what I’ve tried but DS just ignores me if I tell him not to do something and I am yet to find anything he gives a single fuck about to act as a deterrent.

Totally get you. Can't stand lots of crap everywhere.

Depending how old they are (?) can you try a rule that they only have one thing out at a time to play with? My DS loves to get his marble run pieces or train set out and tipped all over the floor before he decides he wants to play with something else but I tell him to tidy the previous crap away before he gets more crap out.

Good luck!!!

You need storage. Children need to play with one thing at a time.

Your anger is palpable. I wonder if it is misdirected. Your children have been left to cry it out because you are overwhelmed with the mess they make.

Your child is normal - your reaction is not. If the mess is making you stressed then work out a different way to handle the mess. Taking your children's toys away and sending them to bed crying isn't the answer.

Sympathies OP, the tough days are oh so fucking tough.

Both of mine went through phases where the only thing they wanted to do was empty the boxes. Living room floor covered, every single day. Fortunately I'm a slattern so it didn't bother me too much as it kept them vaguely busy (as much as is possible at that age) and was easily swept back up into the boxes after bedtime.

Cutting the number of toys is a good idea, then I'd say just let him have at it, and make a conscious choice to do so and take a step back.

It's so bloody tough when it's tough though.

I didn’t sent anyone to bed crying. DS went to bed as normal. I was trying to get the baby to sleep and was so exhausted and fed up of the screaming, kicking and fighting I stepped out for a bit tried to clear up and got completely overwhelmed and came on here. In that time the baby went to sleep.

@ColleenDonaghy again so grateful you’ve said this … it’s just why, why? It’s a relief it’s normal it really is and makes me feel better.

It’s better to remove the toys than loose your shit at the kids!