You Don’t Have To Buy Their Love – Please, No More Toys

I’ve always known my kids had a lot of toys. It sort of drove me crazy, and even though many of the toys rarely got played with (or they’ve since outgrown them) my kids still had a weird attachment to them because it came from so and so. So we kept them. Until one day we found out we would be moving out of state. So long toys!! 

We were in a temporary living situation for 7 months and most of our belongings were in storage during that time, including many of the toys that were making the move with us. 

We have three kids and we had a bin of Legos for our 8 year old son. Our daughters each had a baby doll and a play-set to share. We also had a small collection of books- probably should have brought more since two of our kids had daily reading assignments for school. Someone gifted us art supplies and some card games- genius! Those few items kept our kids entertained. They really treasured what they had and quickly learned to use their imaginations and became each other’s best friends. While it wasn’t always an ideal situation, it was a great experience and our family definitely learned that less is more.

We are now in our new home and are enjoying the extra space. We did allow some more toys to join us in the new house. But trust me, it’s way less than before. Even without a yard (hello, giant pile of dirt), the kids are getting outside. Riding bikes, shooting hoops and just enjoying the care free days of summer. 

I really don’t want our new home taken over by toys and with birthdays, holidays and “just because” presents (times 3), I can see how that could happen. I’m putting a plea out there to family and friends who love our kids… 

Thank you for loving our children. One can never have too much love. But there’s no need to buy their love. We really don’t want to turn them into greedy little monsters who expect the world handed to them on a silver platter. If you feel like you must do something to make them feel special, I’ve got you covered. 

-Consumables are great because they naturally go away and don’t take up precious real estate. Bubbles, chalk, art supplies.

-Experiences because time with you is one of the best gifts. Movies, ice cream dates, or a baseball game to cheer on your favorite team.

-Gift cards are also welcome. Maybe a gift card so they can take you to the movies or out for ice cream? My family also really enjoys Disney gift cards because we like making those magical memories on vacation. 

– Money. Okay, I totally get that it’s not polite to ask for money. But putting some green away for their future education would be greatly appreciated- by us and eventually them too. Money towards activities (like baseball, gymnastics or dance) would also be a good option. Those are fun things for my kids and I bet they would love to find out they get to participate in part because of you.

In all honesty, your presence is more than present enough. Let them climb up on your lap and read a book to you. Clap and cheer for them at their little league game. Tell them how much they mean to you. Shower them with love because that is something you can’t ever have too much of. 

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Articles by Alissa Kay

Alissa Kay

Alissa was born and raised in the Midwest and currently calls Wisconsin home. She's happily married to her college sweetheart and she's living out her dreams of being a stay-at-home mom. Although, let's be real, she's hardly ever home. She's the mom to 3 kids who all came to her via adoption. A boy (8) and 2 girls (6 and almost 4!). The kids keep her plenty busy, but when she has free time she enjoys a night out with friends or curling up with a good book.