tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post1217415805739683768..comments2023-06-28T04:30:36.621-04:00Comments on Not raising brats: StuffMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00208693126891771898noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-65477895543362044492011-04-04T15:19:37.856-04:002011-04-04T15:19:37.856-04:00My brother in law started a book a month gift for ...My brother in law started a book a month gift for my children. I told him it was a very generous gift, and that it should for a Christmas and birthday gifts for both of my children! I do not buy books, and we now have one shelf full of the early readers - very Doctor Seuss like. My kids LOVE seeing the box/envelope in the mailbox each month and shake with excitement at new books. It is a great gift, especially now that my boy is an early reader. <br /><br />I hear you on the toys. We try to reign it in, but somehow we always have a good garage sale sign.<br /><br />I did hear a radio story once of how parents allow the kids to have only so many toys at a time (I want to say 5 or 10), excluding books and games. This includes Christmas and birthday gifts. I am not that drastic. <br /><br />We started the Saturday Box. The kids get 20-30 minutes to clean. Then "Butts on the couch" is declared as the buzzer goes of. Then whatever is left behind is put into a bucket until Saturday. First thing Saturday morning is cleaning the Saturday Box until it is clean. Now we may shift to if a toy is abandoned, but not put away, it may just disappear to the Saturday Box. Cleaning up has improved!The Luedtke Familyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07308696764271755723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-35703825454820797542011-04-02T20:19:21.198-04:002011-04-02T20:19:21.198-04:00That's funny I was just thinking about all of ...That's funny I was just thinking about all of the stuff my daughter has after putting it back for the fifth time today as i was trying to get our house ready for a showing. I finally shut the door to her room and only felt a little guilty about it (seeing as bending over to pick up toys is getting a little more complicated these days as i am very pregnant).i don't know if others experience this but some of the toys get bought from her acting like it makes her the happiest girl in the world in the store, then once home it collects dust on the shelf. I read somewhere to tell your child that the toy lives in the store but don't always follow through on this. I I am trying to aim at receiving/ buying toys with less pieces/parts and love the idea of a magazine subscription, zoo pass, etc for gifts!Jkplusonenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-68675196768099082662011-04-02T08:55:22.728-04:002011-04-02T08:55:22.728-04:00We ask for memberships to the zoo and COSI. For Br...We ask for memberships to the zoo and COSI. For Brady's bday this year, he received gift cards to Dick's for all of his baseball gear and only 2 toys. He didn't really complain; we were able to distract him with cake :) I think it's a great idea to ask for those "experience" gifts. They will learn so much more from the zoo, museums, and the like, than any toy we could ever provide.Shaunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02554412813207060104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-60074129063466121092011-04-01T20:25:21.361-04:002011-04-01T20:25:21.361-04:00I rotate toys every couple of months, and it's...I rotate toys every couple of months, and it's gotten to where the "hidden" toys are never mentioned, even if I forget to put them back in circulation. So off they go (sell or give away). Instead of new toys I like to purchase board games or books. Can't wait for my house to be free of primary colored plastic!twisterfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05443477229332700121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-2716263933825168112011-04-01T18:43:46.147-04:002011-04-01T18:43:46.147-04:00A few months ago, T looked at me and said, "N...A few months ago, T looked at me and said, "No more toys until birthday." It just kind of seemed like we, probably fresh off the heels of Christmas too, had too much. <br /><br />We keep toys in the playroom, in Ezra's closet and baby toys for Iris in her basket in the living room. If it can't be put away in one of those three places, I don't want it. I also regularly put things in the closet that aren't being played with as much.<br /><br />I love the idea of the magazine and think Ezra may get one for his birthday. (Or I could keep giving him the Christmas one from Target. Heh.)<br /><br />(Dude, my Word Verification was "alize." Friday night! HOLLA!)khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10623440001907352150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-242809355226710682011-04-01T14:12:33.449-04:002011-04-01T14:12:33.449-04:00I totally agree. I went through this mode of thin...I totally agree. I went through this mode of thinking a few years back. The good thing is that the amount of toys decrease as your children age. My boys would rather have iPods, e-readers, and cell phones. Maybe that's not so good after all...~she~https://www.blogger.com/profile/00517811416862125834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-15887513219988477642011-04-01T12:57:03.978-04:002011-04-01T12:57:03.978-04:00I go through about every 3 months and get rid of t...I go through about every 3 months and get rid of toys, because YES my kids have WAY TOO MUCH and there are FOUR of them so that's a lot of crap. <br />We try to just regularly donate, but it can get overwhelming.d e v a nhttp://www.all-d.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-4705432292891071942011-04-01T10:05:56.466-04:002011-04-01T10:05:56.466-04:00We have a lot of toys, too. I have one bookcase wi...We have a lot of toys, too. I have one bookcase with baskets with "set one" of toys, and another "set" in a cabinet. We rotate them out every couple of weeks and it's like a whole new set of toys each time. I do try to gently guide gift-givers about "educational" or "experience" gifts, too, but somehow we ended up with a whole wooden kids' workbench this past Christmas...it's adorable but like another piece of furniture in the already crowded house. Oh well!Lisahttp://www.communigraphics.biznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7640457335832183781.post-81871590868016164422011-04-01T09:05:11.209-04:002011-04-01T09:05:11.209-04:00Great post, Michelle! I have been thinking about ...Great post, Michelle! I have been thinking about this A LOT lately!!! My mom and dad got Logan a High Five (like Highlights but for the younger set) subscription for his 2nd birthday. It was a great gift. I really, really, really want to get rid of some of our toys. I think I will probably wait until Jake is a little older, but they definitely have to go!!Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12052086807934434162noreply@blogger.com