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.

Making sure you've got the right batteries, putting together a bike I understand. Why are people reading the rules to games and looking at how to build Lego? Part of the fun of levi is the returning out how to build it and if you can't spare a couple of minutes to look at some game rules on Christmas day there's something amiss.

lol she was just enjoying playing with their toys! Let me spend a quick evening on the PS5 because I’m such a dedicated mother 😂.

Making sure you have batteries for the toy is a good shout, though. Learnt that one the hard way 🙄

Unboxing is a thing. Learning that software and games take time to download is a thing.

Removing the peely bits is a thing!

It's all learning and patience is good. Have loads of batteries available. Let them work it out for themselves and be available to help when it gets too much.

Also, "why don't we work it out together?" and "why don't you have a go and explain it to me?" help resilience and autonomy.

Yup second this! Talking about me going back FT when the youngest starts school and I'm left wondering how on earth you fit laundry, shopping, food prep, housework and goodness knows what else in if you're out of the house from 8-6 and then still have homework/dinner/bath/bed routines and all the rest of it. Definitely no argument from me that working parents squeeze in a LOT! Right now I work 3 days, have 2 days with the pre schooler and in that time I get everything pretty much done so weekends are just for family time. It's a lush balance and I feel very lucky.

Not to mention the school day actually would only allow you to work from 930-230 unless you have access to out of hours clubs which cost an arm and a leg. Worked out at some point that after school and holiday clubs in our area for 2 children would cost about £15k a year (assuming DH and I didn't use any a/l to cover the holidays so would never truly be that much but was working on the max amount). In my last role I earned about £19k take home. So rushing about from morning till night trying to get everyone to where they need to be, plus squeezing all the chores and quality time into the remaining hours and hardly seeing the kids for £3k a year (ish*). Think I'd rather be the SAHM!!

*All figures very finger in the air btw. Haven't lived it at all, has just been my assumption based on quick sums and salary experience so far.

Lies

Of course, everyone knows that the most well-rounded adults were once children who never experienced any disappointment or adversity because their mothers snowploughed any possible obstacle out of their way...

I'm totally baffled by the comments about SAHMs. Of course SAHMs have more time to do things for their children, that's why people choose to be SAHMs. The fact that being at home with children is just as hard as being at work all day doesn't alter the fact that you are spending that time doing things for your kids.

Having batteries is important but I agree with others that part of the fun of Christmas is assembling and figuring things out. I’ve had my share of electronics and I never once was upset at waiting on updates etc. If anything I was just excited and waiting in anticipation.

Playing the computer games on the console! Reading the Lego instrux! MIL just wanted to play with the toys herself, LMAO!

If the toy is one solid piece that's easy to get out the box, I can understand putting batteries in. But many toys come in pieces that are individually wrapped and factory-packed, and you can't get them in again the same way once unpacked.

Plus, it's often obvious when new things have been opened, which isn't great for the recipient.

In your MIL's day, I suspect that toys were less complicated and definitely less uber-packaged than they are now.

It sounds really annoying, but perhaps just try to ignore her. Just say a brief "No" and change the subject instead of trying to justify yourself.

If there's anything we're planning on building before Xmas we now ALWAYS open it and go through all the bits and instructions with a fine tooth comb.

I still have flashbacks of one fucking awful Xmas Eve - when dh opened a Basketball hoop/pole set to put it up (a proper, massive, adult outside one) and found the main pole warped and totally unusable. He'd ripped the box open already, taken all the bits out of their plastic etc in readiness - basically there was no way to then gift it in the box. Total panic at midnight on Xmas Eve with a huge pile of poles and bolts and whatnot in our living room that wouldn't go together and 1 out of 3 dc without their main gift 🤢

1am he had the whole thing in the back of his car, drove to his workshop (lucky he had a workshop to go to!) and spent an hour hammering and warping the thing back into shape. Then home and put it up...we didn't get to bed till 5.30am that year 🙈

So yes, important things get opened and thoroughly checked now!

I would undo all the string, tape, metal twists that hold the toys in the box. The kids could open the gift and it was ready to take out of the box.

If your MIL is so nostalgic about this unnecessary task then perhaps she could help you with Christmas shopping and wrapping for the children. Then on Christmas Day she will be ideally placed to play with the kids’ new toys whilst you have a nap after lunch.

I agree with this. Christmas Day is about building stuff and figuring stuff out together.

We always have tons of batteries ready to go but my dc love the unboxing process and love to fetch the scissors and help to build.

The only things we prebuilt were an Ikea kitchen and a cosy coupe car!

Also, are people honestly reading their children's books so they can be prepared for any issues that arise?

You are correct! SEGA was Sonic IIRC. Mario was definitely one you couldn’t save levels on. It was a grey console with red buttons

My gut is telling me that she didn’t actually do this. Maybe she did it once or twice but is trying to rewrite history to make up for her failures.

Exactly! LMAO! Got a funny image in my head of an elderly granny furtively playing with all the toys alone pre-Christmas, face alight with joy!

i bought a battery operated toy for a friend's 3 year old and I have taken it out of the box, put batteries in and then could not resist the urge to play with it! I did it because she has her gifts from me the week before Christmas and unwraps them then so I can see her (hopefully) enjoying them. I put the batteries in so she can immediately work this wonderous thing.

Yeah I always have the right batteries. I have my DS’s PS5 set up already and it’s back in the box. All we need to do Christmas morning is plug it in and turn it on 🙌

Don’t think you were having a dig at sahm. It’s a fact that if you don’t work outside the home you have more time in the home.
And it’s never occurred to me to test out Christmas presents. As you say, if something is faulty you’ll replace it after Boxing Day. Rarely happens, but won’t scar a child for life if it does happen.

To more updates. Pain in the arse they are for that.

I'd make sure I had enough batteries for all the toys and screwdriver at the ready. Also computer software downloaded, consoles updated and ready for Christmas Day. But Lego - nah.

I definitely do build up toys before the day. And put in the batteries etc

I bought my son a laptop this year and I will be setting it up so there's no delay on Xmas day but I wouldn't try out the games or anything first.

Your MIL is plain weird. Most things work fine out of the box and if not, they go back for a replacement. Nobody ever died of waiting a few days to play a computer game!

I would call her bluff and ask her to prepare or build your children's toys before you wrap them up 😂😏

They did the whole jigsaws to make sure no missing pieces? That's dedication!

I think the parents "testing" all these toys were just wanting to play with them! 🤣

We bought our 2 DS a Transformer deluxe walking and talking robot each one Christmas. Me and DH decided to assemble them and put the batteries in on Christmas Eve (to save our sanity on the big day!)

Once assembled, they were crap, like really epically shite - so we hid them away and took them back to Toys’r’Us for a full refund.

Both DS didn’t even notice as they had so many other presents from Santa to enjoy.