Help! DD1 has just found and gone through my Santa stash!

[Tanzie]

I'm really cross, she knows she isn't allowed in the study on her own and she sneaked down when I was cooking and uncovered and went through the whole lot.

So - what am I going to do for Christmas now?She is 7, BTW.

Sack of ashes ??

give her coal... and an orange.....

Can't you just say that Santa lefttem there and he will be very cross, then take them away and givet hem back atchristmas? As the surprise is spoilt i doubt if she'll do it again.

Okay, this sounds really cruel, but I would wrap them all up anyway and give them to her for christmas. I did this one year (although I was a little older) but didn't tell my mum I'd found it. Was really disappointing to get so little surprises on Christmas Day I've never forgotten that lesson.

I'm now really insistant that no-one gives me hints about any presents now for Christmas and Birthdays so the surprise isn't ruined!

Ooo... like the idea about saying that Santa dropped them off early - storage must be difficult considering how many children he has to shop for

Alternatively, have you got any less well organised parents nearby you with a similar age daughter that you can do "swapsies" for some of the toys?

even better, tell her santa asked you to keep th3em for another child/children

Georgina A, that was my inclination - to wrap them up for her anyway. Some of the stuff I might use as birthday presents for her school friends, but am really angry with her. She is in her room now, thinking over what she has done.

It's the fact that she was in the study (junk room) unsupervised that annoys me the most. She could have hurt herself on some of the crap in there or damaged something valuable. (Strange room, isn't it!)

How good a memory do you think she has? Might she have forgotten about at least some of them by Christmas? I'd try and do swaps for some of them tbh, simply because I think having the "punishment" 3 months later down the line might not be that immediate or fair for a 7 year old (but had she been, say, 11 then it would be a fairer consequence).

Agree with you that the safety aspect is a big concern - and the lack of trust thing. Can you have a big talk with her about how disappointed you are and now you feel you can't trust her? Is there a way you can get a lock on that door for future (I know you shouldn't really need it, but it would write home the "trust" issue, I think).

Bugger

(oh, and doesn't everyone have a room like that? Although most of it in our house is either under our bed or in my wardrobe!)

You should be able to exchange most things at shops if thats the route your going. I agree that punish now and don't bring it up come Christmas.