Help! We Have Too Many Toys!

There is a marauding army on the loose and it insidious, crafty and cunning.  This army is made up of soldiers of a different kind.  They have big wide smiles, flashing lights,and bright colors. They win the hearts and minds of your children in an instant (and sometimes only for an instant).  They take over your living room, basement, den and bedrooms.  Who are these awful invaders you ask?  They are TOYS.  And you have let them in without a fight.  If you find yourself in the aftermath of such an onslaught, here are some steps to help you reclaim your castle and fortify its boundaries against further invasions.

• Corral. First of all you need to proclaim and believe the battle cry, “This is MY castle!”  Say it with me Mom and Dad, “This is MY castle!”  Say it over and over until you believe it.  You may want to live in democratic harmony with your children, but in reality it is not a democracy.  You are in charge.  Permitting toys to overtake the public spaces of your home sends the opposite message to your children.  Discuss with your spouse where you would like the toys to be located.  For some families a playroom is an option.  For others, toys live in the child’s bedroom.  Whatever you decide, make a decision and communicate that to your children.  If you have a small home with shared bedrooms and no space for a designated playroom, you can create a “toy corner” in a public area of your house.  Toys that migrate from their “barracks” during the day, need to be returned by their user to their home (wherever it is) by the end of each day.
• Edit. Secondly, like God did when selecting Gideon’s army, you need to edit.  If something has not been played with in a while and you have the storage space, put it away.  Clear totes make great storage solutions for toys because you can see what’s inside without even opening it up.  Rotating toys is a great way to cut down on clutter and makes old toys seem new again.  Throw away (or recycle if you can) broken toys or toys with so many missing pieces that they are rendered useless.  If your children are beyond the developmental level of the toy, it is time to say your goodbyes.  Your child can and should help with this selection process.  But if you find that they are resistant to the cause and seem to be fighting for the enemy, you may need to launch a secret attack at night while they are asleep.  Once you have edited your collection, a good rule of thumb from now on is:  for every new toy in, one toy needs to leave (via a donation center, garbage truck, etc.).
• Protect. Now that your castle is clean and you are mentally ready to defend it, you need to build a moat to protect your family from future invasions.  To make this moat you will need to eliminate the phrase, “sure, I’ll take that” from your vocabulary.  Well-meaning friends and relatives contribute to the strength of the enemy without even knowing it.  Simply explain that you would appreciate their help in maintaining an invasion-free home and if they would really like your child to have such-and-such, they can keep at their home for when your child comes to visit.
• Loosen up. It may be helpful to permit a few “open drawbridge” days.  On these days you can lower the drawbridge and allow toys to enter.  Days that qualify include Christmas, birthdays, graduation and the like.  Make a habit of keeping the drawbridge up for most of the rest of the year.  Resist the temptation to impulsively buy something at your child’s request “just because” – even if it only costs one dollar.  Planned toy purchases can greatly help reduce any begging during shopping trips.  An open drawbridge day that can also be educational is a planned tag sale day during the summer.  Allot each child a certain amount of money and encourage them to exercise their financial decision-making skills.
• Guard. Finally, you need to place sentries at the door of your castle.  You can accomplish this by making sure that you and your spouse have adopted the same mindset for keeping the invading army at bay.  Furthermore, if you enlist the help of your children, your home’s defenses will be that much stronger.  Don’t expect your children to join you with enthusiasm at first.  Remember, they have been prisoners of war for a long time and have likely undergone extensive brainwashing.  But don’t give up hope; with time they will come to see the benefits of an invasion-free home.

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Laura is a licensed counselor with over 15 years experience. She is also the mother of two delightfully inspiring children. She loves sharing her passion for godly parenting with others. Through CfP, she provides consultation services and parenting workshops.

One Response to “Help! We Have Too Many Toys!”

1. Amy says:

   January 4, 2010 at 11:01 pm

   Excellent blog! I need to wage war!!!

   Reply