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People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

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  • People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    IABU/ungrateful here, but ...

    PIL visited over the weekend.  They bought Izzy some things - a bright soft ball that makes noises when you roll it, a money box and a humming top.  Obviously she won't appreciate a money box for quite some time, that's more a keepsake gift, and the ball was fine, but the humming top (a metal one) is age 3+ - very clearly marked on the box.  She is going to be 9 months this week. 

    I don't mind people giving her things for, say, 12m +, because it's up to us to judge if it's appropriate yet and to either give it to her or keep it aside for a couple of months.  But is it just me, or is it ridiculous to give something like this to a baby who is only just crawling, let alone yet to develop any motor skills to use it?

    H was on the phone to his dad recently and I heard them talking about having bought her things.  H specifically asked "you are buying things that are suitable, aren't you?"  I just feel a bit resentful that now our very limited storage space is going to be taken up with things that Izzy can't use for another 2 years!

    I'm BU, aren't I?  Do you get things like this?  WDYD?

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    I personally would only buy something within a couple of months of actual age, but mostly when they are older than a year tbh, eg giving my nearly 3 year old nephew something for 3 years depending on what it is of course.

    I think maybe when they saw the humming top they thought of it more that it was something she would like to watch than play with iyswim, although that doesnt help with lack of storage!!

    Theo Michael Angel 01.12.08

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  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    Apart from small parts, I tend to use the age guidelines as just that - guidelines - in the case of a spinning top I would guess she would love watching it, and if you have the room it'd be a lovely nursery/playroom ornament, so tbh I wouldn't be too bothered - after all they did buy something she could play with now too.

    I wouldn't say you are being unreasonable at all, but I think I would be fairly relaxed about it unless they bought something that was actually dangerous or didn't buy anything that she could play with right now.

    Inspired by Sofie, Milo and all my angels, most recently Joe http://www.justgiving.com/JoeDonn/

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  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    • Cedar
    • Not Ranked
    • Joined on 06-Jun-2007
    • United Kingdom
    • Posts 5,182

    Smile and say 'thankyou' and find somewhere to put them until they're needed. I suspect that you might be grateful to have a 'free' new toy to get out one day when she's older and a bit bored.

     

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    • Kellfi
    • Top 75 Contributor
    • Joined on 12-Aug-2004
    • South West Scotland
    • Posts 24,547

    I can understand.  Liam was 7 weeks old at Christmas and he got a present for 3 year and over, weird.  I know that there isn't a lot that you could buy a tiny baby and I understood the 6month and 1 year stuff, but 3 years was just silly lol

    Liam Walter born at 38 weeks on 31/10/09 @ 21.24 by Emergency C Section weighing 7.5lb. 

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    I have to agree with the madonna, maybe they just wanted to give her something different and thought she might like to see it or hear it. 

    My mum bought my daughter a humming top for her birthday in february.  she was 1.  she doesnt know how to play with it, but we spin it for her and she loves the noise and see it spin, she is fascinated by it.  now she picks it up and trys to do it herself and when she knows she cant she shakes it at me to do it. 

    I'm forever buying toys that are above her age range cause i know they will last longer.  Just keep it for her for the future.

    Baby girl born Feb 2009 Love

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    Leo has had a metal spinning top since around nine months and it's still one of his favourite toys. He loved watching it and listening to it. Then  at around 14 months he loved trying to make it work himself and put the rings from his stacking rings set on top of it while spinning. Now at nearly 20 months he loves to try to make it work on different surfaces - extreme spinning if you like.

     

    It's been a fabulous toy and I really wouldn't be put off by the age guideline.Smile

    It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    I would just tell them point nblank its not suitable for her age and woulld they mind if you exchanged it for something she can use now...

    x

     

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    We bought Holly a spinning top at Christmas when she was 14 months because a friend had one and she loved it.

    I do think there is a big difference between age guidelines for safety purposes and those for 'ability' purposes, although obviously packaging doesn't differentiate between these. Holly obviously can't make the spinning top work perfectly but she knows what to do and can make it spin a bit so it's been a big success in this house.

    Having said that, when buying presents I do tend to try to stick closer to age guidelines on packaging as I'm never quite sure how strict other parents are with this.

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    I'm with madonna in that I wouldn't be too bothered about this particualr item because I think she would get enjoyment from it now by watching it but an adult doing it for her.  If it was something with small parts of that was dangerous I really wouldn't be impressed.

    My grandparents bought Izzy some foam puzzles for the bath before she was born that were age 3.  I just put them away in the top of her wardrobe until recently.  My cousin, who has a little girl 3 months older, bought her a barbie for christmas with lots of little fiddly bit.  I know even now at nearly 3 Izzy couldn't resist putting in her mouth and I don't think barbies are age appropraite for a 2-3 year old so that has also gone into storage until she is older.

     

    Name changed from angeldust

    Baby girl I - April 2007

    Baby boy J - June 2010

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    There are some things that are quite obviously inappropriate, with small parts etc and I myself wouldn't buy them for a baby.

    I think that particular present however she will get some enjoyment out of, even if she doesn't use it herself. And having a 3 year old myself, she'd have mastered using that by about 18 months anyway, so long as there aren't any choking hazards I don't see an issue in letting her play with it, or buying it for someone. 

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    Thanks all ... I'm do take age guidelines as just guidelines so if something was a little above her age I'd think fine ... my main issue is she is now trying to pull herself to standing on the lowest things, including her toys, and this wouldn't take any weight due to the tiny base. 

    I think we'll just put it away for a rainy day in the future - like Cedar I think said I'll probably be grateful for it one day!

    I have a few issues with PIL's buying habits anyway ... they have always seemed to me to buy things for the sake of buying them, as if money spent = love IYSWIM?  So at christmas we always get loads of random things from them, like those toiletry sets from Boots you buy people you don't know well, or humour books that are funny for five minutes and then get put in the charity box!  But I could go on and on about this and that's a whole other thread! 

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    Have you thought that maybe they aren't thinking money spent =love, but actually just like buying presents ?   Does it matter if the book is funny for 5 mins and then goes in the charity box - then it raises money for a charity and gives someone else some amusement ?

    I think the things that you say they have bought Izzy are lovely.  I bought a metal spinning top for Zoe when she was about 6 months old as I renembered it from my childhood.  As for worrying about her pulling herself up on it, what about the ball, if she pulled herself up on that it would roll over and topple her too ?

    I think you actually sound really ungrateful.  My PIL haven't bought Zoe a single present since she was born a 13 months ago.  They asked us to sort out Xmas and birthday presents for her and didn't buy anything when she was born. 

    Apologies for lack of capital letters - Zoe has stolen my shift key Huh?

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    I don't see what the big deal is.  If it ooks dangerous then put bit away for later.  She'l enjoy it at some point.  WMadonnaS about guidelines too.  THey sound like they saw something they thought she'd like and being a long time since they had babies, had probably forgotten what they can manage at what ages.  

    I think you sound ungrateful too. It's not like a 5 yr old being bought a baby rattle.  She's going to enjoy it at some point.  Plus I think a lot of age ranges are overly conservative.  G isn't yet 3 but has already finished with puzzles that are age 4-5.  I think it can be good for them to have stretching presents. 

  • Re: People giving age-inappropriate toys ...

    It's difficult, because the present givers are only doing it out of kindness...they might not always buy the most appropriate of toys but they generally still have honourable intentions at heart.

    My Nan gave my son a corgi toy for his birthday this week, from my late Grandad's collection. She was mortified when he took it out of the box and started playing with it. You can't really talk to 3 year olds about collectibles and holding their future value! That'll learn her ROTFL

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