Are Your Kids Getting Too Many Gifts From Their Grandparents?
I talked to Business Insider about the overload of gifts.
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Last week, I asked a big question in some Facebook parenting groups that I trust: What do I do with all of the grandparent gifts that my son receives that are just not appropriate or not for our family?
It’s a question that sparked a lot of conversation because so many of us Millennial parents are seeing the piles and piles of presents that grandparents give our kids and we think, “This is well-meaning but OH MY GOD my house has been taken over by all these goddamn toys!”
Here’s the thing: I am grateful for anything my son gets from relatives. But I can also be annoyed when those same relatives don’t listen to what I tell them that he wants or don’t respect our parenting and household rules when it comes to certain gifts.
And honestly, sometimes it’s just too much!
It’s not just me. It’s many of us experiencing this weird conundrum between “awww this is nice” and “oh fuck this isn’t for us.” Both feelings are true, and that fact brings on a lot of confusion.
And so, I talked to Business Insider about it!
Although usually I’m the writer, sometimes I will contribute an interview about my experience to an article instead. Clearly, this whole “too many gifts” issue is pretty big since they’re writing about it. So I present you with…
Millennial parents say well-meaning boomers are gifting junk to their grandkids — and it's time to stop
The story that really struck me in that Business Insider article (and I can unfortunately totally see happening to us) is the one from the mom who experiencing grandparents giving a digital watch to her son on his 5th birthday. Well…
"He is autistic and, when he gets his hands on screen time, it can be mesmerizing," Whitman, a mom blogger, said. "It caused a bit of a disruption in the household for days."
I cringe thinking about age-inappropriate gifts (like we got) but even more so, gifts that are not good for kids who are neurodivergent. That can really, really interrupt a family’s routine—which is key for kids who are autistic and/or have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). SIGH.
Anyway, check out the story and comment below with your thoughts. Happy reading!
Join me in conversation… Are you a parent who has experienced this “too many gifts” issue with well-meaning grandparents? What was the biggest faux pas that grandparents made when giving something to your kid(s)? Do you have a strategy for dealing with this, like ignoring the gifts or donating them? I’d love to hear from all of you!
Talk soon,
Irina (she/her) - raising a March 2020 gen alpha kid
I’m a few years older than you, and my kids are 8 and 11. I 100% understand this struggle. I will say, however, that over the years it’s gotten better. We had to have a few hard conversations, but we got there. In part because my MIL now has another grandchild which dilutes some of that pressure, and in part because my kids are older and the gifts they want are a bit more expensive (no plastic toys anymore...LOL). However, there can at times be a clash over boundaries and family rules. Hang in there!