I feel like DS2 is getting the short end of the stick this Christmas.... [Archive]

arivecchi

11-25-2009, 12:38 PM

DS1 has a gazillion toys and I don't want to get lots more for DS2 since he has all of DS1's toys to play with. How do you deal with this? Do you buy fewer but special toys for a second/third DC?

carolinamama

11-25-2009, 12:41 PM

You should see my list for the boys - DS1 has more on it than we will actually buy and poor DS2 has one at the moment. I feel like I will be buying him things just so he has presents to open and DS1 sees that he isn't the only one getting gifts.

I don't have any ideas other than to say that we are in the same situation.

o_mom

11-25-2009, 12:43 PM

arivecchi

11-25-2009, 12:43 PM

I have a huge wish list for DS1 and about 3 items for poor DS2....

ourbabygirl

11-25-2009, 12:50 PM

We don't have this problem yet as we only have one DC, but could you get DS2 some personalized gifts? Maybe things he can hold on to through childhood and have when he's an adult? Maybe a personalized blanket, a photo book of just pictures of him and you parents, etc.? Some personalized books for him (they have Disney character ones and others that you can get with his name, names of his friends & pets, address, etc. within the story)? Some new clothes (obviously they won't fit DS!)? A special experience for just him and you to do together?

bluestar2

11-25-2009, 01:11 PM

The beauty is that DS2 is 10 months and really, anything is "new" to him. I like the idea of wrapping up DS1's outgrown toys, and get him things when he is older and develops his own interests. Maybe add some new pajamas, food items, or something he needs?

happymom

11-25-2009, 01:14 PM

arivecchi

11-25-2009, 01:15 PM

I like the re-gifting idea except that I am sure DS1 will want to "re-claim" his toy! LOL!

carolinamama

11-25-2009, 01:15 PM

I wrap up DS1's (and DS2's) old stuff and give it to them. I also swap heavily with relatives. There are always a few NIB items in the mix, but the majority is EUC. :) I will often look to expand a toy that we have - more train track or trains, another LP add-on set, etc. rather than the 'big' sets. I know it won't last forever, but I'm going to make it last as long as I can.

I wonder if I took some stuff out of the playroom now if DS1 would forget that we had owned it in the past so I could regift it to DS2. We just don't need more toys and I've not been too good about stowing them away in the attic since our playroom is huge. Should work on that Friday. Good idea o_mom.

hellokitty

11-25-2009, 01:21 PM

This sounds bad, but DS3's not really getting anything for Christmas this yr. He'll be 5 mo old. With DS2, I didn't get him that much when he was little, maybe only a book and a small toy. Now that DS1 and DS2 are older, I often combine gifts, say that the gift is for both of them. You're right, the younger kids get a shaft, esp if they are the same sex, b/c you already have toys/books/clothes, etc. for them from the older sib.

KrisM

11-25-2009, 01:26 PM

I try to take away the old toys as soon as they've outgrown them to stash away for the next kid. All 3 of my kids got the FP Learning Home for Christmas :).

DS1 is old enough to remember what we used to have, so I make our recycled things from him/DD/mom/dad to DS2. DS2 gets new to us things from Santa.

egoldber

11-25-2009, 01:35 PM

I feel your pain.

I do plan to give Amy a couple hand me down things, but a friend of mine once mentioned how much she hated always getting hand me down toys for the holidays, so now I am soooo paranoid about that LOL!

But as they get older, Amy and Sarah definitely have more divergent interests, so it will be easier to find new and different things for Amy. I just need to be really diligent about getting rid of the toys that Sarah no longer needs that Amy is not interested in!

brittone2

11-25-2009, 01:44 PM

We go through this quite a bit too. DD was actually kind of easy this year as she's getting a dollhouse for her "big" gift. DS had a small one (family hand me down) but never got *really* into it. DD is more into pretend play with figures, etc. than he was, so I'm hoping it will be a hit. I have been stumped on ideas for her birthday since we have sooo many great toys already from DS.

Both kids are getting a few Playmobil sets but they like to play that together anyway. THey kind of end up being joint gifts. They could use another set of magantiles but i"m going to wait and probably use the gift money they typically get from relatives to buy more.

I had more trouble finding a wow gift for DS for this year, which doesn't usually happen. I've been stumped. But for the past few weeks he's been begging for a drum set :dizzy: which I'm not sure about LOL. It seems to be the only wow gift I can come up with for him though, so he may end up getting it. And I may ask for earplugs from my DH for my stocking.

AnnieW625

11-25-2009, 01:49 PM

I have a huge wish list for DS1 and about 3 items for poor DS2....

DS2 is still a baby he isn't going to know the difference. We got DD a play piano for her first Christmas, some clothes, and she was happy she still plays with the piano today and she's 3/1/2. We also got her a walker because we had a nice flat surface outdoor where she could use it.

Fisher Price no longer makes the one we got, but they have this one:
http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=2341&e=detail&pcat=rainforest&pid=43204

Momof3Labs

11-25-2009, 02:00 PM

I like getting some new bath toys for the younger sib for the first Christmas. Bath toys don't last forever as they get grungy pretty quickly. But yes, at younger ages, my DS2 got shortchanged at holidays. It does start to balance out as the youngest gets older and his interests develop a little differently - DS2 is getting some things this year that I think he'll LOVE!

The girls are getting a few girly things this year - pink and purple socks, hair bows, dolls - but far, far less than either of the boys.

arivecchi

11-25-2009, 02:00 PM

DS2 is actually quite particular about toys even though he is a 10 month old baby! LOL. DS1 and DS2 already "fight" over toys and DS2 usually wins because he has such a strong grip. :hysterical: I think I will just get DS2 two or three new toys because I do feel bad about him only getting hand me downs and maybe limit DS1 to a only a couple of nice gifts as well.

WatchingThemGrow

11-25-2009, 02:05 PM

But for the past few weeks he's been begging for a drum set :dizzy: which I'm not sure about LOL. It seems to be the only wow gift I can come up with for him though, so he may end up getting it.
I bet he wants to play with the new-trumpet neighbor :)

Yes, we regift old toys. I spied the LF Playground (like the table) in the attic yesterday and was excited to know all I need to do is wipe it down. His other gift is a PBK bath towel from F&F. Tell me that's not lame.

brittone2

11-25-2009, 02:07 PM

I bet he wants to play with the new-trumpet neighbor :)

Yes, we regift old toys. I spied the LF Playground (like the table) in the attic yesterday and was excited to know all I need to do is wipe it down. His other gift is a PBK bath towel from F&F. Tell me that's not lame.

Oh yeah, the trombone, the drums (maybe I should set them up on the porch since the neighbor plays her trombone outside ;) ) and DD is asking for a guitar (my niece had one on a visit a few months ago and DD has been asking for one ever since).

Your gifts aren't lame at all :)

alexsmommy

11-25-2009, 02:14 PM

You are not at all alone. I have not been as good as I should have been about taking toys that DS1 had outgrown and storing them so DS2 plays with almost everything we've purchased over the years. It's probably my only "fear" of DC three being a boy - if I have this much trouble coming up with a list for DS2 what happens if we have a DS3?

I have this great list for DS1 in mind, and I am struggling for DS2. I'm not sure DS2 will mind, but I also don't want DS1 to notice. In a good way he is a very fair minded, sweet kid and he'll feel bad for DS2 if he doesn't have much to open. I do wrap "small" things for DSD for this reason which she gets. Her gifts are much more expensive at this age so she wouldn't have a lot to open if I didn't wrap small things like socks. I'll probably do the same for DS2 - wrap some thing from the dollar spot and such.

MommyAllison

11-25-2009, 02:15 PM

Yep, I've had trouble coming up with ideas for DS too. Thankfully I've finally come up with a few bigger items, so that the kids are about equal now.

maestramommy

11-25-2009, 02:27 PM

Your DS2 is 10 months? I doubt he'd notice if you didn't give him anything:p

What we normally have always done is buy only one thing for each kid for Christmas. They already get gifts from relatives, so it still adds up to more than enough.

traciann

11-25-2009, 02:32 PM

I have very little space(and no storage space) to work with, so over time I just consigned or donated toys that dd1 didn't love or play with much. I figured that dd2 will need fun new toys so I just let go alot of things. Dd2's birthday is in a couple of days so she will get toys then and christmas.

Being a middle child, I just can't see wrapping up dd1's old toys to give to my younger child. I don't have a problem giving a new to us consigned toy or the like, but I think dd2 needs some things of her own. For christmas I bought dd2 who will be 12 months a bounce and spin zebra I found on clearance and 3 usborne books.

BeachBum

11-25-2009, 02:56 PM

I'm not sure DS2 will mind, but I also don't want DS1 to notice. In a good way he is a very fair minded, sweet kid and he'll feel bad for DS2 if he doesn't have much to open.

I agree with this. Plus my older child is 4. He will definitely recognize his old toys. There is no way I could regift without him knowing.
My younger ones will get regifts for their birthday, but for Christmas I have to get new stuff.