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Original poster

Billy has a lot of toys

34 replies

PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:07

So I've had this said twice maybe 3 times recently!

Anyone else get this sort of comment? Do we actually have loads or is this like a polite "it's sunny today" comment?!

One of the comments was when we'd actually tidied 70-80% of toys away out of site Confused

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Original poster
PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:09

Sight 😹

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MolliciousIntent · 06/07/2022 22:19

If you're hearing it a lot, I'd guess your collection is excessive. How old is Billy?

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PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:22

"Billy" is 1

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Yodaisawally · 06/07/2022 22:23

How much is there?

Ilikecheeseontoast · 06/07/2022 22:24

Yes I get this a lot usually from elderly relatives who have forgotten how messy little children are. The same people still buy my 2 mountains of tat for birthday/Christmas/Easter though!

Original poster
PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:24

About 75% are second hand and have been dirt cheap so I've just acquired them on a why not/ "Billy" would love that basis...

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Temporaryname158 · 06/07/2022 22:25

It would have to be a lot for me to mention it so if it’s been said more than a few times it probably has at least a grain of truth

Ruffelo · 06/07/2022 22:26

You probably have loads then. I'd never say it to make small talk. I'd say it if I was thinking wtf who opened a toy store in here 😅

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PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:27

@Temporaryname158 so is a lot of toys a bad thing?!

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MolliciousIntent · 06/07/2022 22:28

At 1, how much does he actually play with all of this? Developmentally speaking, it's much better for kids to have a smaller number of toys than a large selection, but for some annoying reason I can't remember the specifics. Pregnancy brain did not end with pregnancy.

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PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:28

@Ruffelo 🤣

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MaChienEstUnDick · 06/07/2022 22:28

Ilikecheeseontoast · 06/07/2022 22:24

Yes I get this a lot usually from elderly relatives who have forgotten how messy little children are. The same people still buy my 2 mountains of tat for birthday/Christmas/Easter though!

This. My dear departed mother was the queen of the pa dig about mess and toys, and also the one sending us home with a boot full of mess and toys every Christmas and birthday. Smile and ignore,

Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas · 06/07/2022 22:31

PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:27

@Temporaryname158 so is a lot of toys a bad thing?!

Too much choice of toys is a bad thing.

toomuchlaundry · 06/07/2022 22:32

If there are lots of toys might be useful to have them out by rotation do Billy doesn’t get overwhelmed

Twokidsanddone · 06/07/2022 22:32

I hear this all the time! As well as "they don't need that much", "you don't have the space for all this". Usually from the people who give excessive amounts of bulky plastic crap as presents and are therefore the reason we do not have space. Both the kids toys fit in one cupboard. They have about 6 favourite little toys that they get to keep in the living room, so we really don't think they have an excessive amount. Like a pp said I think some people just forget how much stuff comes with having kids

BiFoldChampion · 06/07/2022 22:32

We have too many toys!!! I need to work through them it’s my summer challenge

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PerfectPrepPrincess · 06/07/2022 22:32

@Flopisfatteningbingforchristmas why?

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Tiepose · 06/07/2022 22:36

I used to take this sort of comment a bit personally.

I put so much care and attention into how to present the toys and what would be developmentally appropriate.

I spent all day, every day, with those toys (and dc!). They were a really important resource for making the days positive and interesting.

I wouldn’t actually make comments about other people’s set ups, but people do. Their bad manners are their problem.

shivawn · 07/07/2022 08:22

I don't think its a bad thing to have too many toys but I would definitely do a rotation system so that you don't have an overwhelming number of them out at one time. Fewer choices will let your child engage better with each toy rather than being constantly distracted by the next toy that catches his eye.

catsnore · 07/07/2022 08:59

I've heard this. If coming from older generation, I think they find the amount of plastic tat a bit overwhelming ('it weren't like this in my day' etc etc). I feel like my kids have too many toys but that's because I'm usually the one threatening to put it all in a bin bag and throw it out 😂

SnowyPetals · 07/07/2022 09:05

Meh, ignore. Who is setting the standard for "a lot"? In Western society all of us have more of most things than we "need".

InDubiousBattle · 07/07/2022 09:07

My dc have always had loads of toys. We've always shopped at charity shops and when they were smaller second hand fair type things so didn't spend a fortune. They also have a fairly big family that buy for them. I was a SAHM so the toys got loads of use but if there was anything that was routinely ignored it went back to the charity shop.

NannyR · 07/07/2022 09:17

I do think too many toys can be overwhelming for children, they find it difficult to concentrate on what they are playing with and it's not easy to keep them tidy. I'm much more of a minimalist, montessori based nanny and I find it works well. When you have fewer toys out, children find more ways to use them imaginatively.
If you've got lots of toys it's good to have a rotation system - instead of having 15 jigsaw puzzles out, just put three on the shelf, after a few weeks when they've really mastered those puzzles, swap them for three new ones.

AnnaMagnani · 07/07/2022 09:30

I think developmentally the idea is they have a small number that they can develop preferences for and engage in imaginative play with.

If you are wading through a sea of toys the child can't concentrate and is just flitting about wanting stuff rather than doing any learning through play.

Freeform undirected play is supposed to be the most valuable for brain development.

CrispieCake · 07/07/2022 10:01

It's a rude comment and I'd be rude back by saying that they'll understand then why Billy doesn't need any more toys or stuff from them for his Christmas/birthday.

However, you might want to look into packing some away and see if having less helps your DC play longer with those he has out. Also, I do think you need a place for everything as children get older so you can teach them to take good care of their things and put things back, which might be hard if you have too much stuff for your house.