For those of you non-parents out there. This should be your guide to buying Christmas and birthday presents for the children under the age of two in your life.
So you might be in the store and see this AWESOME baby laptop computer. It retails for about 30.00 dollars….
…
TRUTH: This laptop for a baby is not AWESOME, it is annoying with its lights and sounds…
So take your 25.00 dollars buy the kid a savings bond. Take the extra five dollars and buy a big box with lots of tissue paper for the child to throw everywhere…
We have all seen dolls, toy trucks, cars, sport equipment…that we think would be GREAT for kids.
Do not buy any of these 20 dollar toy….
TRUTH: go to Goodwill, Unique or some other thrift store and buy some clothing for that wonderful baby in your life. OR better yet buy that family some diapers and wipes! THEY will love you! At least I would.
What I care about is that you have thought about my child’s basic needs. Our family’s bottom line. Kids are money pits and it is wonderful to celebrate milestones, but lets be practical and economical with our purchases. Think about the child’s future as well as their parents. Thanks.
If you feel the overwhelming urge to buy a toys for the kids in your life. Blocks, Lego's, fake food, anything to inspire creativity. (Ask their parents they usually have good ideas :) )
P.S. This post was inspired by all the donations coming to my employment at this point in the year.
1 comment:
I appreciate your perspective, Lane. I agree...with Jemima's birthday and Christmas in the same month, it feels overwhelming to get so many toys at once. Books are a great idea, too...but I agree: a contribution to their savings/college bond or diapers and wipes are the most excellent and thoughtful gifts. I think, though, parents and grandparents cannot help but want to bless their grandchildren with fun toys as well. A couple things: we plan to hide about half of the toys she gets for her birthday/Christmas until mid 2008 so she can enjoy the gifts she gets now and then enjoy the rest later without being inundated with so many toys. Also, my brother's family has a great rule: any new toy they receive means they have to give away an equal amount of their old toys...thus regulating the toy population in their home. I think we'll follow that rule, too. :)
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