Post by Denethor on Dec 4, 2009 12:05:03 GMT -5
People with multiple kids in the house, I need your help!
There's this, like, major gift-giving holiday coming up. Some of you may be familiar with it.
It doesn't matter that the holiday celebrates the incorrect birthday of a centuries-dead figure from someone else's religion whose very historicity has occasionally been called into question; it seems that all the children in my country have swallowed the idea hook, line, and sinker that we all have to get together during its season, decorate our homes with ridiculous materials that are themselves of questionable taste, expense, and fire safety, eat a variety of unhealthy foods that are not consumed at any other time of year some of which have truly terrifying ingredients (eggnog anyone?), and above all, shower our relatives, especially children, with items we can barely afford that will entertain them for a maximum of two minutes before breaking and proceeding to take up valuable space in our crowded houses and apartments.
OK,
In any event, what I am requesting from my honored friends of multiple progeny is this: Suggestions, if you have them, for an appropriate gift meeting the following standards:
- suitable for a six-year-old girl of markedly feminine gender expression, whose interests include dress-up, princesses, Disney, pink things (doubt that a gift of Pepto-Bismol would be all that appreciated, however), soccer, and real estate;
- small enough to take along while traveling a few hundred miles to the domicile of said six-year-old;
- within the budget of an underpaid contract civil servant;
- not a stuffed animal, as I've been shown the stuffed animal closet that's at approximate critical mass;
- (very important! The source of my conundrum!) does not present a choking, smothering, lead paint, or other hazard to an inquisitive and much treasured seven-month-old brother, who will of course become only the more mobile and inquisitive as the months and years pass.
Why toy manufacturers don't think of this issue when manufacturing new toys - that many kids have younger siblings who will get their hands on the toys and that thus there's a market for things for older kids that are safe to have in the house with younger ones - I don't know. I do know that in my own case I was nine years older and could be trusted to put chemistry, archery, and rocketry kits in a locked cabinet. This can't be a rare problem, but due to oddities of my background it's the first time I've seen it.
Thanks all!
And by all means, add your own childrens'-holiday-gift conundra to this thread, maybe someone else can answer them.
There's this, like, major gift-giving holiday coming up. Some of you may be familiar with it.
It doesn't matter that the holiday celebrates the incorrect birthday of a centuries-dead figure from someone else's religion whose very historicity has occasionally been called into question; it seems that all the children in my country have swallowed the idea hook, line, and sinker that we all have to get together during its season, decorate our homes with ridiculous materials that are themselves of questionable taste, expense, and fire safety, eat a variety of unhealthy foods that are not consumed at any other time of year some of which have truly terrifying ingredients (eggnog anyone?), and above all, shower our relatives, especially children, with items we can barely afford that will entertain them for a maximum of two minutes before breaking and proceeding to take up valuable space in our crowded houses and apartments.
OK,
In any event, what I am requesting from my honored friends of multiple progeny is this: Suggestions, if you have them, for an appropriate gift meeting the following standards:
- suitable for a six-year-old girl of markedly feminine gender expression, whose interests include dress-up, princesses, Disney, pink things (doubt that a gift of Pepto-Bismol would be all that appreciated, however), soccer, and real estate;
- small enough to take along while traveling a few hundred miles to the domicile of said six-year-old;
- within the budget of an underpaid contract civil servant;
- not a stuffed animal, as I've been shown the stuffed animal closet that's at approximate critical mass;
- (very important! The source of my conundrum!) does not present a choking, smothering, lead paint, or other hazard to an inquisitive and much treasured seven-month-old brother, who will of course become only the more mobile and inquisitive as the months and years pass.
Why toy manufacturers don't think of this issue when manufacturing new toys - that many kids have younger siblings who will get their hands on the toys and that thus there's a market for things for older kids that are safe to have in the house with younger ones - I don't know. I do know that in my own case I was nine years older and could be trusted to put chemistry, archery, and rocketry kits in a locked cabinet. This can't be a rare problem, but due to oddities of my background it's the first time I've seen it.
Thanks all!
And by all means, add your own childrens'-holiday-gift conundra to this thread, maybe someone else can answer them.