To think no one does this - Christmas toys related

[EvilsElsasPetSnowman]

So MIL once did a judgy shock-face at me when, after asking if I take all the toys out the boxes and test them before Christmas Day, before wrapping them, i said “No of course not!”. She said “Oh I did with all of my kids’ toys! I made sure they had batteries in and that they worked because there’s nothing sadder than if a child can’t enjoy their present on Christmas Day”.

I pointed out that as a SAHM she probably had more time to do stuff like that than I do, and that if a toy doesn’t work I’ll replace it at the earliest opportunity, and the kids will have to live with the disappointment and that it won’t kill them, that’s life.

Anyway she went on to say that not only did she un box and then re box the toys, she would also read Lego instructions so she knew how to build the sets, and get this - if they were getting a computer game she’d set up their consoles and play the game so that if they needed help on a level she’d know what to do to help

She just kept (rather smugly) saying “I always made sure I was prepared when it came to Christmas and that my kids knew I was always there for them if they needed my help with something”. I REALLY felt like saying “Funny how you weren’t there for them when you left their dad and moved in with your new fella and his kids for a year, completely ignoring their existence and not even turning up to parents evening or their sports matches, emotionally scarring all 4 of them, but the real failure as a mother is me as I don’t play Animal Crossing before my son gets to”. But I didn’t.

I think this is totally bonkers? Does anyone actually do this?

Also how in the actual fuck would you ever get toys back in the box?! I asked this and she says “it’s easy they just go in the same as they came out”. She clearly hasn’t met vacuumed toy packaging of the 2020’s some of which needs a hacksaw to even open

YABU = Yep I do this you slovenly woman
YANBU = that’s bat shit crazy and no one does it.

@EvilsElsasPetSnowman Yeah mine is 5 and we do similar - check stuff has batteries and works ok, build Playmobil sets so we don't need to faff on Christmas day when he's wanting to get stuck in and we're hosting relatives etc. I work 3 long days a week, dh works 5 and our son has additional needs, not sure how that measures up in your perception of how much time other family set ups "obviously" have 🤔

Yeah same. I can't imagine wrapping something out of the box all made up. Aside from like people have said bike as it makes sense that it is made. My other half always makes sure he has batteries at the ready and he's a dab hand at assembling so never had any issues Christmas day.

I’ve already set up the children’s electrical items that will require updates/downloads and connecting to the wifi. All ready to go so I’m not being dragged off between children on Christmas Day because the wifi keeps saying work passwords or should I accept these terms and conditions. This is taken ageessss to down load eugh. Frustratedchildren on Christmas no fun.

Also nothing worse than say opening up your brand new Xbox and it doesn’t work.

I'm pretty sure when I was a child I enjoyed "unboxing" and setting up new toys and games, putting the stickers on, programming them, etc. It was part of the fun and I wouldn't have wanted it done for me. I also liked presents that had arrived via Royal Mail to still be in the brown paper packaging or whatever. But perhaps I was an odd child...

I would if you want them to be able to play it on Christmas morning. It can take a while. But don’t do it too early, in case there’s later software releases.

She sounds great, I would have LOVED that as a kid. My parents forgot to even put scissors out, so it was a frustrating clamshell mess, and then after that they'd realise they'd forgotten to buy batteries, and the yelling would start. I would have had a very different childhood this way.

Yes always have the Christmas box out.

Scissors, small screw driver, AA and AAA batteries, bin bag ready for the chaos.

Omg THIS. In between food demands, naps, potty training, cleaning bits of spat out toast and trying to get them some fresh air I genuinely had WAY more time for myself during my full time job. I could pee in peace for a start 😅

Another one who was with you until the dig at SAHM’s OP. Until you do it you don’t know how time consuming it really is.

Yeah, this. Isn't building a Playmobil set part of the fun?

Thanks OP. Based on this thread I have failed miserably as a mother 😔

On Christmas day I had a large coffee, a pair of scissors, multiple batteries and a black bin liner. I sat on my fat arse and watched my kids happily snip at the ties, ask for batteries and screw up wrapping paper to throw across the room like a weird form of basketball. They seemed to enjoy building things themselves but were they hiding their disappointment??

I never understand why people try to delude themselves and everyone around them. You all know that she wasn't a very good mother. None of us are perfect but why can't people say "Yes that was a crap thing to do, it shouldn't have happened and I'm very sorry?". People would be much more likely to forgive them.

I guess it depends if you've been the distraught child who opened a present to find you didn't have batteries or the item didn't work.

I was about 8 when I received an item that didn't work but in those days shops were closed a lot between Christmas and New year. A bus ride about 5 days after Christmas to get it sorted took the joy out of it.

Don't have kiss but always make sure any gifts have correct batteries and work.

We put together things like bikes or the Barbie dream house, as they were far more exciting when set up ready.

No way would I unpack everything- partly as I don’t have time and partly because I’d hate all my presents to have been opened already!

I'd be asking your DH if she did in fact help them with any video games, because I can smell the bullshit from here.
Late 90s/early 00s there weren't levels as such. Ya dead, ya dead.
Toy assembly possible. As a toddler DS refused to unwrap gifts he'd just roll them around when wrapped 😂 so I'd open and assemble everything, stick the batteries in, ready for the day.
The last two years I've thankfully wrapped, unless it's a hot wheels track or bike, something like that, I'll assemble ready for the day.
Also not a SAHM - I just accepted the late nights.

Haha, I would've burst out laughing at her sitting there playing super mario brothers on Xmas eve at 5am for 'research purposes'. She obviously thinks she's so prim and proper but she's just a middle aged woman playing on a kids computer game in the middle of the night!

Nope!

About the most we do is buy the right batteries! Didn't know the thing about consoles either but also not buying one of those for as long as I can possibly get away with it!

some of that is a bit batshit. things i used to do.

1. unbox/test toys and make sure they had batteries in, and get rid of all the horrible plastic tags tying the toy to the box, then rebox/wrap them so the kids could use them and i wasn't being harassed on christmas day for batteries or dealing with upset kids because something doesn't work. this is just plain common sense and i think you're a bit silly for not doing it personally.

2. pre-set up/install games on xmas eve so they weren't waiting for HOURS for a game to install, and so i could, again, check if it was faulty.

It’s not a dig, it’s factual. I work part time and my children go to school. I would physically not be able to do what OP is describing whilst at work but I might be able to prioritise it on my days off.

factually, as a SAHM to school age children, you have more autonomy over your time than a mother who works.

Just to add, I also just bulk buy the batteries. Duracell for the endurance. I hate that.

Yep, same.

I don't get the competitive busyness here on MN. Everyone is just SO goddamn BU-SY all the time, wow. Although maybe not surprising, as it's MN, where everyone are neurosurgeons on 200k and sooooo busy they cannot find 30 secs to reply to a text, it takes them days.

I left my ex when DD was 3, he fucked off somewhere, haven't seen him since. My whole family lives abroad. So I parented alone, studied and worked part time and sometimes nights. Yep, that was a bit full on. Had much more time when finished my studies and there was just work, house-chores and DD.

Always did what the OP's MIL did, except for Lego and playing computer games. It's logical to check whether the thing works as it's supposed to, before gifting it to a child, especially a young one. IMO. I somehow managed to find half an hour sometime before Christmas in my Extremely Busy Schedule.

Although each to their own. If someone doesn't do this, that's fine and it definitely doesn't make them a worse parent.

I think we all know being at home with pre-nursery aged children means you don't have much time on your hands.

But it's common sense that once the youngest has their free hours you definitely have more spare time than someone working full time or even part time.

I remember Christmas shopping with my baby while my oldest was at school. Baby was too young to notice.

Now shopping is done online!!
I have no idea how my DMum managed to do shopping when I was little, she worked full-time from me starting school.

I’ve opened my child’s Nintendo Switch already - I’ve preloaded the games on so they are ready, created the necessary accounts and amended the parent settings. Saves me wasting time doing it on Christmas Day. I also take some of the toddlers toys out of the packaging, she isn’t going to care about the box and saves the mess and effort on Christmas!

I also work full time, not sure what being a SAHM has to do with it really!

True though

Mate, as a SAHM, I barely have time to have a piss. (And even then it's with the door open and I'm usually fixing a toy I'm being handed at the same time. But sure so much time.) But aside from this, I'd've said all that to her tbh. What's sauce for the goose...