Money Moral Dilemma: Should we sell our child's unwanted gifts?

Peter333

Facebay! :rotfl:

Sorry that made me laugh.

Well I think you can sell them if you want to, but don't expect the people who gave the toys to your children to be very happy about it.

I would say to them 'do you want them back?' and if they say no then I would say 'I will give them to a charity shop then...' and then maybe consider giving some to charity and put some for sale.

I remember when my neighbour's wife gave some clothes to 2 of the mums at the school (for their 2 daughters, as her daughter had grown out of her clothes.)

Several weeks later, she discovered that both mums had put the stuff on 'facebay' and had made a ton of dosh from the clothes. I'm talking almost £170 between them! She was furious. She said 'did your daughters not want the clothes I gave them then?!,' and they said 'nah, they didn't like them!' My neighbour said 'well you could have given them back then so I could give them to someone else whose daughter does want them.'

The women just both shrugged and said 'well you did give them to us, so it's kind of up to us what we do with them isn't it?'

Thing is they were right, but it still seemed somewhat immoral and wrong (in my opinion,) to take these clothes and sell them. If it had been me, I would have given them back if my daughter hadn't wanted them.

Thing is now, this was four years ago, and the neighbour says hell will freeze over before she gives a thing to another soul.

shagpuss

By all means sell them -auction site or local NCT sale etc - as they are yours to dispose of. Those that don't sell, donate to a charity. That way, everyone's happy.

Jagraf

tgroom57 wrote: »

My child was given some toys...

So what happens to the toys is up to your child, not you.
"She doesn't really play with them" suggests she does play with them, just not that often. Otherwise you would say "she doesn't play with them at all".
If they were given to your child - and not to you, for your child- then it is up to the child what happens to them. Ask.
lol, and once you've explained she can sell these and get something different, expect a painful lesson in parenting when she decides to sell what you got her for Christmas. :rotfl:

How complicated.

My daughter regularly sells things we got her for Christmas on face bay. Then she buys herself some more clothes, usually from facebay. She might only wear something once for a party, them she can sell it for nearly what she paid or it. Then she can buy, rather than us giving her more money. We can then save to help her out at uni.

What I think is rotfl is a child feeling the need to pile up belongings to keep their parents happy.

Op sell them - give yor child the money, put it into an account, buy more toys, or use the money to benefit the family. Or donate it to charity.

quidsy

Unless the item is a loan or comes with the condition of "when they no longer want it, let me know as I'll give it to someone else" then once it is given it is gone. I don't give bday or Christmas gifts "with conditions". I have & do "loan" things to family & friends with the express condition that it is returned when & when. My sister has had a mirror of mine for over a decade, she still refers to it as "quidsys mirror". It cost a lot, I don't mind her having it forever but if she no longer wants it, I want it back. That is clear.

pennypinchUK

Why not sell them. They're yours now.

No dilemma here....

jackyann

I have passed on a lot of stuff in my time and I always made clear what should be done if it was unwanted / outgrown etc.
Next time, ask. I usually say "Oh, when she's finished with them, shall I let you have them back?" and they say "Oh no, just pass them on"

This time, I would check back with the friends.

I have to say that at a very personal level, I would not expect anyone to make money out of a gift I had given them. I would expect them to pass it on, to another family or appropriate charity.
I am interested to see that others have a completely different point of view so I think best to check.

peachyprice

Someone was kind enough to give them to you for free, it's only right to pass on that kindness to someone else, whether it's a child you know or via a charity shop. Making money out of a friends generosity stinks.

steve_p53

I would say there are two different situations with different outcomes. If these were presents for Christmas or birthday, then they are yours (well really your child's), so by all means sell them. If these are things which have been given at other times, then give them away to charity shops or other people with kids who would appreciate them. Otherwise you could be very embarrassed if the donor found out - well, I would be anyway!

Talent

Just pass them on, what's the quandary?

his_missus

What would you do with the toys if your child had played with them and then grown out of them - sell them? charity shop them?


I see no difference really between "doesn't play with them much" and "has outgrown them".