If you've ever stepped on a Lego or thought seriously of "accidentally" vacuuming up all of Polly Pocket's accessories, you know where I am coming from.
We have too many stuffed animals. We have too many Legos. We have too many Hot Wheels cars. We have way too many Bratz and Barbie dolls. (Yes, we own Bratz dolls. No lecture, please.) And why do so many toys have so many little accessories? We got rid of Lite-Brite at least a year ago, and I still am sucking up those little bulbs in my vacuum cleaner.
Go on; get lost
Recently, we watched "Toy Story 3," where Buzz, Woody and the gang get lost again. A great, funny, touching flick, but it kind of freaked me out. I don't like the idea that toys are plotting against me, refusing to get lost.
I've thought about "losing" A LOT of toys — doing what Andy's mom did in the film, donating them or shelving them in the attic. But it's really not that easy. Recently, my 6-year-old daughter asked where her Leap Frog reader went. The kid reads very well on her own and hasn't played with Leap Frog in a year. So I broke the news that I gave it to Goodwill.
The look she gave me: I could have been gum on her shoe.
Part of our problem is we have too many toys. But the bigger part of our problem is we have not enough orderliness.
Please save your judgmental thoughts. I'm sure it's my fault. I haven't taught my children to pick up. I am not consistent enough, I ... blah, blah, blah. Sometimes it's just easier to clean it up myself. But I know I can't clean their messes forever.
Hitting bottom
When we finished our basement a few years ago, we thought it might be an area the family could gather to play Wii or watch movies. But we never do, because it is such a mess. I am even embarrassed to have neighbor kids play down there.
I've known for a while that I needed to do something to teach my kids the lifelong skills of taking responsibility and taking care of their possessions.
But the straw that nearly broke Todd's back was Monday night. After returning from our long weekend, my husband headed downstairs to return our cooler to its rightful home in the utility room. Suddenly I heard, "Whoa!" Then a scramble to stay upright, and then "&#@% toys!" Todd nearly bit it on the stairs.
Time to take back the basement!
Check it out
In my effort to teach responsibility, I now am running my basement like a library. Yep, the kids are checking out their toys from me.
I sorted all the toys, put them into their rightful boxes and locked them in the utility room. I created a checkout sheet: They can have two toy categories in use at a time. So Carter can check out Legos and the train tracks, and Tatum can have Barbies and Polly, but to get other toys out, they have to pick up and return a toy.
I am still sorting out what "fee" I will charge if they don't return toys in a timely manner. But so far, the plan is helping.
I hope I don't have to monitor their toys for long. If my experiment works, they will get into a habit of taking care of their belongings.
If not, the story of our toys might not end so happily.
with only two toys available at a time, you're stifling their ability to conduct a Rube Goldberg-style experiment that involves Legos, Lincoln Logs, Rock-em Sock-em robots and dad's empty bourbon bottles.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea!
ReplyDeletehaha! I used to do something similar with my kids. I'd fill a black trash bag with toys that were sitting around and stash it in the basement. A few weeks later, I'd fill another bag and stash it in the basement....and take out the one I stashed earlier. They'd play with the ones just brought up from the depths like they were new toys!
ReplyDeleteMy mother-in-law used to buy happy meals and save complete sets of toys with teeny, tiny accessories for my kids. I think I still haven't completely forgiven her ;)
do it more and balloons
ReplyDelete