DD received a whole slew of freebie stuff for Christmas this year. DH works for a big company and these toys were used for a photo shoot. Wouldn't you know he's the only employee with a little girl! One of the items we got was this horse:
https://www.target.com/p/disney-prin...s/-/A-53361076
She loved it. I loved it. It was huge. It was plastic. But it had a lot of play. We put clothes on it and she carried it all over the house. Etc.
Fast forward to a Saturday earlier this month. DH wants to get rid of stuff at our house (but only OTHER people's things at our house--not his own) and he offers to sell the horse and she can get money. She agrees. To the chagrin of my boys who worry that she'll be sad. She sells the horse AND the motorized Cinderella carriage she also received from the photo shoot for $20. DH is thrilled. She seems like she is ok.
She misses it. She wants it. It doesn't cost $20. Its a lot more. She has cried herself to sleep every night.
And FWIW, I'm struggling. Because I didn't want to sell it. I liked that toy. Part of me liked it because it is a big draw on a play date. We have a small, old house. It is nice to have some fun toys to share with our visitors. It gives the kids (and me) pride of place a little bit. DD doesn't really have very many girl toys because she's the youngest of 4 and the only girl. I also just knew she loved it. And I remembered how it felt to lose things that I really did love.
I can't talk to DH about it because I'm mad at him and sad at the loss and he'll think I'm irrational. (And I know that I am!!) And we do not communicate well when I'm upset. I do not think big plastic horses are necessary for happiness. I do know that we have a small house and the horse was relatively huge. I am proud of DD for not being attached to stuff (at least initially) and I admire that as a value. But I"m SO conflicted when she cries about it. Part of me wants to sell a bunch of my stuff and go buy another big plastic horse. But is that even a good lesson to teach her?
This Saturday DH is buying her roller skates and taking her on an adventure with the money she earned from the garage sale. Maybe she won't care after that?