Downsizing the Toy Population

Ever feel guilty about doing something good? I have known that my two children have enough toys for six children, especially due to our circumstances where Camille gets gifts from my dh and I, her dad, and three sets of grandparents. Danny being the younger, get doted on by dh's parents the most.

So every birthday, child's holiday that may involve gifts and when we visit our extended families, there are gifts. Then of course DH and I want to be able to get the kids a little something special from time to time. It adds up to WAY too MUCH. Both of the kids have 200% more toys than I had growing up.

I raided my children's bedrooms yesterday and we're giving Goodwill 75% of their toys. I'm not even going to have a yard sale, and I don't want to even THINK about the money that was spent on some of these items. I guess that's where the guilt is coming from, the money that was spent. I'm the one that gets asked, "What do the kids want for _______ (input any holiday)." And guess what, none of the grandparents want to hear, "oh, we'd like to have books". They want to buy the FUN stuff and have the children adore them for getting them the "good stuff."

Danny's 3rd birthday is next week. He is getting a John Deere Power Wheels Gator from dh's parents and my parent's are getting him a scooter. Dh and I are taking the kids to a fun park, you know miniature golf/bumper boats place and that will be it.

The only toys he has now is her matchbox sized car collection (he has over 200 of them), wooden blocks and lego-type block, a dinosaur play set and pretend clothes (fireman, police man, construction worker, doctor), his train/car table, a basketball hoop thingy and a few straggling other items.

Camille has downsized her 22 Barbie collection down to 4, all the Polly Pocket items, My Family Barbie dollhouse and items, baby dolls, stuff animals have been graciously donated. She has dress up clothes, Zoob building set, GeoTrax train set, roller skates and other types of outdoor play items, a few stuffed animals (eliminated 15 of them!) and a few other items.

Writing this out it still seems as if they have a lot but their rooms are neater and picking up at the end of the day is a little easier. We're (dh and I) are also implementing a "if you want new, you have to give up old" rule. Even with gifts they receive they have to decide what to give up if they wish to keep the new toy. This of course is a private thing and Camille have talked about how it might hurt someone's feelings to hear that they don't wish to keep the new toy in exchange for giving up something old. The grandparents especially.

I want my children to appreciate what they have. I also want my children to be bored. If they aren't bored, when will they use their imagination? When will they pick up a book to visit a new place? Or want to play the many board games we have?

My children don't quite understand that there are others in this world that have ONE toy to play with for years, nevermind just for the day. I know this is move in the right direction, now I just have to monitor myself when the grandparents ask, "What does Camille/Danny want for __________." I want to give them guidance but make sure the suggestions are something worth them buying because if I don't offer suggestions they will go out and buy something I definitely would NOT want my children having such as a Bratz doll or other type toy. What a major balancing act. My parents didn't have this problem, their parents weren't able to spoil the grandkids. Our extended family may be supportive of our homeschooling but it's not to the degree that they're willing to invest in it - they still think the kids will go to school at some point. Who knows, they might but until then I'll just redirect them to microscopes, activity kits and craft like items.