Follow up on MIL and Easter basket issue

[eviesmom]

After asking mil to please not send any candy or stuffed animals to Evie for Easter, she sent 4 videos, 3 outfits, 1 book and 5 stuffed animals!!! I am so aggravated right now I could scream. She couldn't just leave it alone and respect our wishes. Now I have 5 more stuffed animals to donate to charity.

One of the toys was one that dh gave her for a Mother's Day gift two years ago too. He is quite upset about that since she threw a fit when he told her we were donating the bulk of Evie's stuffed toys to charity. She was angry that we would get rid of something that she sent to her grandaughter as a gift.

[miss meg]

I suppose I can see MIL's side of it...but you warned her in advance. I've had to permanently "lose" items my MIL and SIL have sent the kids because they were inappropriate for one reason or another.

Just focus on the positive little faces who will be receiving those new stuffed animals:).

[stargirl]

I know how it is. After telling my mom how we disconnected the cable to keep Juliana from watching tv, my mom made tapes of sesame street for us, for "emergencies". :rolleyes: I know she just doesn't get it. At least your mil didn't send the candy. Maybe the next time you tell her what she can't send, you can tell her what she *can* send? Give her an outlet. I know - probably won't work, people are stubborn, but just a thought.

btw - what is wrong with stuffed animals? Besides the fact that they seem to multiply faster than rabbits?

[eviesmom]

I'm pretty over it today. I was just annoyed yesterday when we got the box. Dh and I have decided to keep the stuffed animals that she sent yesterday and get rid of several other ones that Evie's had for awhile. My allergies are really bad this year so we are trying to eliminate as many dust collectors as we can. I bagged up 50 stuffed toys to donate to charity and we still have a basketful of them left. Its insane how many Evie gets as presents.

[hunter]

One thing I do is rotate toys. Not only does this keep the toys "fresh" in my kids' eyes, but it cuts down on clutter and dust and needed storage space in their rooms.

I have three boxes of toys on a shelf in a closet, and every month or so I pull one down and dump it out, fill it with some of the lesser-used toys, and put it away for another 3+ months. I do the same thing with two bags of stuffed animals. I washed some of the lesser-used stuffed animals, put them in a plastic bag, and sucked the air out with the vacuum so it doesn't take up much space and doesn't collect dust. Every once in a while I dump a bag out, collect another bag's worth, wash them, and put them on the shelf.

[Y Thingy]

I'd try to return them to toy stores and get some credit for other stuff. :D Our in-laws always send books. However this Easter one of the books they sent us is so sad, it made both DH and I cry. I put that away. Our toddler is very sensitive and probably won't like it, our baby is still at the chewing books stage.

[stargirl]

You gotta wonder about some people - 5 stuffed animals???? As if dd didn't already have plenty. Juliana got so many animals, books and toys that I grabbed all the "seasonal" ones and put them in the boxes with "seasonal" decorations. For example, all her easter bunnies and books go in the box with my other easter/spring decorations. Same thing with Halloween, Christmas, etc. The animals spend most of the year hidden in a box, but it's really fun when they come out.

I'm sure we'll be sending some out to other families soon!

[bugsmom]

We have done that as well with the seasonal animals and stuff too.

[Patti]

Ha! We have no shortage of stuffed animals at our house either. And I have an 8-year old and a 3-year old.

Before we moved in January, my dd's Brownie Troop collected stuffed animals to donate to a police precinct for the kids in the neighborhood. It was one of the worst precincts in Chicago with regard to crime. The girls got their picture in the local papers, a pizza party with the kids they helped and even a ride to the precinct in paddy wagons. (The girls were never outside in that area.) We were thrilled because we got rid of 300 stuffed animals in one day and we were moving.

The sad part is that Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day and Easter have come and gone and left more stuffed animals. I swear those buggers must be reproducing!