Real life MMD: Should I stop age inappropriate gifts?

kitty-bite

You have to tell her!!! He is too young ATM to know the difference so you can put them aside for a while but if this continues he will notice, kids take in more than we realise, and how will he feel if he gets to unwrap a prezzie just to have it taken away from him? You don't have to be confrontational, maybe just try and think of something you little one really would get a kick out of (something inexpensive if necessary) and tell her all about it before the next event where she might give him a gift.

ayayay

I'm surprised no-one's come up with the obvious solution - give her 5 year old child a toy suitable for a six months old !

aloiseb

Is there any way you can check the present first without your son seeing? I would do that and then either put the present away for when he's old enough, or re-wrap it if it's not actually going to be dangerous. You will have to decide - a lot of things are actually ok if the child is watched and not just left alone to do potentially dangerous things with it.

If she gives the present to him to unwrap without you being able to do this, and it looks cheap, nasty and possibly dangerous, I would accidentally "lose" it among the wrappings or (if v rubbish) it could get stepped upon and broken? Mind you our house, and unwrapping celebrations, tend to be very messy and nobody would notice this in the flurry!

If it's a good toy but just too old for him, eg megabloks for a child who still chews things, I would say to her face, thanks but we will have to put it away for when he is older. (Then she too will have to endure the tantrums if any!)

NB megabloks are mainly dangerous for parents who step on them without slippers.....

Lira

I cannot believe the amount of replies saying the OP is ungrateful!!
The child is a five month old baby! How stupid to give a baby a remote control car for a four year old.
Personally, I wouldn't have the room to store spare toys so it would have to go to the local school fair.
I think the sister in law has a cheek doing this and I'd be annoyed. It's not just a case of something slightly older, it's a whole four years! It's also very different from receiving a gift that you know your child won't play with or doesn't have an interest in. That is completely different as it's not always easy to get it right. In those circumstances, you should still be grateful as it's the thought that counts.
But what was this baby's own Aunty thinking!
To the OP, I would say ignore those who say, what's the problem. The problem is, the child is only a few months old. By the looks of it, you're gonna have many years of inappropriate 'gifts'! Better to say, thank you for the lovely car, what a shame he/she won't be able to play with it for years.
And it's also not about the regifting. I do that myself but it has to be suitable. This is definitely a case of wanting to get rid of a spare gift with no kind thought behind it.

fluffnutter

There are a myriad of ways that a present can be unsuitable. Age aside, it might just be something that you wouldn't want your child playing with. For example, I can't abide those Bratz dolls (or similar) and would probably want to recycle it if given one.

If you like the present but think it's too old, hang on to it. If you don't, then give to another child or charity. Not sure why we're getting hung up on presents that are age-inappropriate when the whole subject of gift-buying can be fraught anyway - as the recipient of a present, you simply have no control.

I echo others' sentiments in that presents are gifts, not rights. Bottom line: if you don't like something recycle it and let others make use of it. But you should always accept things with grace.

stuart-79

I think most of us are forgetting the point.
Christmas is a religious event celebrating the birth of Christ.
I personnelly cant stand the mass panic in december to spend as much money on credit cards getting into debt untill the following november on buying mostly unnessesary and pointless gifts for family and friends.
Yes i am dead against the biggest evil in the world we call religion but the point is moot. Most of us in the uk are not religious so why bother?
My daughter gets gifts anytime i feel she deserves them.
Does this anti-christmas rant make me a scrooge?
Or does it make sense, and those that think me scrooge have quite simply been suckered so deep into a swirling vortex of retail hypnotherapy?

Geography_Mad

Could you have a quiet word with your brother? It depends on what he is like and whether he could possibly take a hand in choosing some presents. Otherwise could you suggest something relatively cheap that your son would like and use even if it's some colouring pens?

I do hope that you can resolve this but, as other posters have mentioned, it is worth asking the question: Is it worth risking your relationship with your brother and sister-in-law over one small thing?

mungaman

Easy!! Gifts are totally inappropriate, so just bang them on eBay, take the cash & buy a suitable present.
Your sister-in-law is being totally thoughtless; I don't know why people like this even bother giving someone a gift.
Does she not read the danger points on the box?? Totally thoughtless & selfish!!
"SHE" should be putting the gifts away & giving them to your child in 3 years. She's just plain lazy!! Simple!!

mungaman

Re: "Ayayay"

Totally agree!! Don't know why I didn't think of it.
Get her 4/5 year old a gift for a 6 month old!! Simple!!

z4harry

My son's Grandad always bought age inappropriate gifts. For his 1st Birthday he got a remote control cyber dog - suitable age 12+. For his second birthday a Pirate ship with about 100 tiny tiny tiny little accessories.

We just put them in the loft.

Now age 10 he loves both of them and they are made more special that he got them after his grandad passed away.