I’m fighting a losing battle. A battle against ‘The Stuff’. It’s been going on for nearly five years now; since our first baby arrived. The point at which ‘The Stuff’ entered our lives. But ‘The Stuff’ is OK when it’s to do with babies; all adorable and new and exciting and a novelty.
My problem with ‘The Stuff’ is that it just keeps on coming. I put up a brave resistance and self-impose several restrictions and yet I inevitably cave in to its enticing call and another large, noisy, plastic toy makes its way into the house. I’m currently awaiting the arrival of reinforcements to assist me in this relentless and ruthless onslaught. It’s not so much a battalion as a tasteful blanket box for the bay window; another desperate attempt to hide the fact that my house is, in fact, a toy shop masquerading as a house.
‘The Stuff’ has bothered me a lot recently, following a spate of birthday parties; each increasingly extravagant in its selection of bouncy castles, magicians, treats in the party bag and gifts from guests. I was also made aware recently of an online birthday present service which allows guests to contribute money to the birthday boy/girl's fund (yes, fund), which the child can then spend on their ultimate wish list of presents. Excuse me? Did I just hear that correctly?
I’m starting to panic. It’s just all too much. Whatever happened to the jelly and ice cream and pass the parcel familiar to those of us who were kids back in the days of yore?
My problem with ‘The Stuff’ is that it just keeps on coming. I put up a brave resistance and self-impose several restrictions and yet I inevitably cave in to its enticing call and another large, noisy, plastic toy makes its way into the house. I’m currently awaiting the arrival of reinforcements to assist me in this relentless and ruthless onslaught. It’s not so much a battalion as a tasteful blanket box for the bay window; another desperate attempt to hide the fact that my house is, in fact, a toy shop masquerading as a house.
‘The Stuff’ has bothered me a lot recently, following a spate of birthday parties; each increasingly extravagant in its selection of bouncy castles, magicians, treats in the party bag and gifts from guests. I was also made aware recently of an online birthday present service which allows guests to contribute money to the birthday boy/girl's fund (yes, fund), which the child can then spend on their ultimate wish list of presents. Excuse me? Did I just hear that correctly?
I’m starting to panic. It’s just all too much. Whatever happened to the jelly and ice cream and pass the parcel familiar to those of us who were kids back in the days of yore?
I really don’t want to be a Victorian mother who insists on her children playing with a perfectly nice spinning top and a rickety hoop in the street while other kids zoom past on their rocket-propelled in-line skates while watching the latest 4D-HD movie on their i-Pad, but I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that I am, disappointingly, a boring old fart who needs a good kick up the arse into the 21st century. Resistance to ‘The Stuff’ is quite probably futile so I may as well just get over it now and walk zombie-like towards the nearest toy/gadget store and invest in a massive plasma, a Wii and several Nintendos. But I really, really don’t want to.
Anyone else?
Anyone else?
A bit of plastic Stuff now is nice. When they become teens, they all get money from everyone, friends, family. It is then hoarded to go by Stuff you don't want to know about or even see.
ReplyDeleteOh I fear as Oli gets older he may catch our bug for gadgets and these expensive things - there's Daddy with his xbox/iphone and me with my laptop/camera/flip . How do I say no when he sees us with our stuff. I started to write a post about the horror of toy prices, I was in tescos the other day looking at the toy story toys. I was so excited that it was making a come back and I wanted to buy Oli something, I thought a buzz would be fun - £50! That's half of a hundred... I was shocked! I certainly wasnt going to shell that much out for a 1 year old and I think I'll still feel the same when he hits the age of 5!!
ReplyDeleteI'm having a toy cull this weekend - we have too much plastic crap which has found its way into the toybox since Oli was born!!
If it can reassure you, I come accross maaaaaaaaaany parents who exactly feel the same.
ReplyDeleteConcerning your plasma, make sure you get one with the home-cinema dolby surround,smell selector and that delivers your meal the minute you are hungry!..... what???? This option doesn't exist yet?sorry...thought it was 22nd century...big sigh.This comment was typed from a special stuff designed in the future...hence my confusion.
Ahh the stuff. I have a large under the stairs storage room packed within an inch of its life with mini mes toys. Most of which she does not play with most the time, but its in excellent condition so can't throw it away. Her room is also full of stuff. It only gets worse as they get older. The more space you have the more you keep. I embrace the small but expensive ds and laptop.
ReplyDeleteI am not a stuff lover either. Children bring far too much stuff. I have had two boot sales and still have more stuff to cleans from my home
ReplyDeleteOur house is absolutely full of stuff HCM and it drives me mad. We have more birthdays and parties this month so there will be yet more of it. I will join you in that zombie-like walk ;)
ReplyDeleteMe too. I'm being dragged, kicking and screaming into the 21st C. Oh the stuff. I have found moving countries every few years, fitting all your worldly belongings into the back of the car has been quite good to keeping the stuff at a minimum, but it comes back pretty fast. And it is such tat!
ReplyDeleteOh yes stuff, Elf's stuff and OURS! We are hoarders. Not good. We are about to move house and are completely bricking it - how much STUFF will we have to pack? A loft-full, under-stairs-cupboard-full, shed-full, outside-toilet-full, bedroom-full... Help! -HMx (PS I'm donating some to the local walk-in health centre)
ReplyDeleteWe have hoards of stuff. I often mention the old wooden toy box my grandpa made which held all our toys as children. It's now in the corner of the living room full and surrounded by stuff. There's more stuff in the garage and loft which they haven't even noticed is missing. We were the first to produce grandchildren so became the focus of relatives' present buying for some time. I'd love to go back to spinning tops and hoops.
ReplyDeleteWe have an issue with the stuff too - not least because Mr goes and buys some nasty tat whenever I leave him with the girls for a weekend (the latest a piano)
ReplyDeleteIn the middle of a purge at the moment... which at least makes me feel as if I'm doing something to stem the tide!
'Stuff' makes me want to take to my bed. I'm always treading on something or tripping over something the children have left out and the nanny hasn't tidied away. By the way I love your blog Hot Cross Mummy and will add you to my blog roll.
ReplyDeleteYes, stuff, we have so much stuff, I can't move for stuff, there is stuff everywhere. I know...
ReplyDelete*phones skip hire company and orders a large one*
Oh, the stuff, the stuff... We moved recently and we STILL have the stuff. Can't we just melt it all down in some big plastic stew and make something useful out of it? Like... um... clingfilm?
ReplyDeleteI'm holding out on The Stuff as long as possible. No electronic games in the house yet - but then my oldest is only six. There's enough plastic to destroy the environment all on our own. We moved about 18 months ago and I took the opportunity to toss a lot of Stuff. But somehow it's back.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of getting rid of some "Stuff" - I doubt the children would even notice.
ReplyDeleteEvery Sept when the Little Dears go back to school I do a giant clear out...and just as Mwa suspects, no one notices.
ReplyDeleteThe Stuff drives me insane.
XXX
I read an article when #1 was under 1 that said it's better for their imaginations to not have too many toys, especially ones that do everything for them. It is perfectly acceptable for them to use a hairbrush for a microphone and a big box for a fort. My intention is to go with that article...however, my family continuously contributes to "the stuff" problem
ReplyDelete~Jessica
Don't get me started on stuff. Shuddering at the thought of raking thru all ours! But needs must.
ReplyDeleteI really want to go back to the days of Yore, when things were much simpler (I mentioned this on my own blog a few weeks ago when mini-me asked if she could "look at dresses" on my computer).
ReplyDeleteIn regard to the "stuff" it does get to be too much. I have taken to only buying mini-me books, it sounds a bit mean but on birthdays and christmas she gets so much "stuff" from other people that it balances out.