Gifts that are inappropriate for your child (either due to age or other factors)

[Inyourwildestdreams]

Just wondering how others handle this situation. If family/friends gift something to your young child that is inappropriate for their age or you just don’t want them having, how do you deal with the situation? The gift has been handed directly to the child so they have seen it.

Would you ask for receipt and explain? Put it away until they’re older? Say nothing and just remove it from the child and get rid?

Unless massively inappropriate you say thank you and move on.

Say thank you. Wait for child to be distracted and then hide it.

Say thank you and put away till child is older. No drama - if people don’t have children they often don’t know what is age appropriate.

Thank you and move on. For my DS' first Christmas, my PILs gave him an outdoor croquet set. DS was 4 months and we lived in a flat with no outdoor space. You just have to smile and accept it.

If it's my mother she gets told and it gets discreetly removed and passed back. From about 20 weeks pregnant she has tried to buy her things for 3+yos

Everything else gets rotated in and out of her collection of toys depending on her interest and if its the right age bracket for where she is. In our old house we never had all of her toys out at once. We have a bit more space now and most are out but some get pulled out for a bit and with toys that are beyond her age I would do the same.

Just save it till they are older? Better than what my mum did which was buy fisher price toys for my 6 year old second hand from a charity shop for Xmas so couldn’t return them and can’t even grow into them! Just threw them away 🤷‍♀️ and no she’s not struggling for money

My son was given a box of brandy snaps for Christmas when he was 15 months old.

I just said thank you & quietly removed them. They weren't even a family gift, they were all just for him 😂.

Completely forgot to update the thread 🙈 it’s been a busy few days!

Thanks all 😊 we have a “no electronics” rule for DS (he’s only just 3) which family seem to be struggling with 🙄 he gets a limited amount of TV & we don’t allow games consoles etc. For Christmas he received a tablet and a kids smart watch from family which I just don’t feel are necessary for him at this age. DH wanted to ask for receipts but I feel awkward about that 😅

For his 1st birthday be received age 6+ Lego sets and roller skates 😅 which are already aside in the loft. And for his birthday this year he received a whole set of toy guns so he could be “the best shooter around” 😅 they got binned 🙈

I just don’t really want a loft full of items by the time he turns 5 😂

@HollyFern1110 Brandy Snaps is hilarious 🙈