Toy Clearance – very good therapy!

Having both children at home during the 6 week summer holidays has been great fun, but it has also made me realise how many toys they have.  I feel like I have spent almost the entire time clearing up after them.

I have been feeling completely overwhelmed with the stuff in our house, so about a week ago I took the decision to have a massive clear-out – a big deal for me because I am a bit of a hoarder and seem to develop sentimental attachments to almost anything.

While both girls were occupied in the garden, trying to make themselves a high-jump out of bamboo canes (inspired by the Olympics), I took a large cardboard box and pushed, swept and threw everything in my path into it.

In fact one box wasn’t enough (and it was a very big box) and I had to find another container to hold the remaining objects littering my house, from wooden fairy cakes, to frisbees, to Lego, and harmonicas.

So with all surfaces, carpets, and tables now clear, I hid both containers away and then braced myself for the backlash when the girls returned from the garden.  But they didn’t say a word, they didn’t even notice!  A week has now passed and not once have they asked me where such and such is.

And with a clearer house, I have a clearer mind, and I am not spending so much time tidying up after them.  It just goes to show that kids just do not need lots of toys to play happily.

In fact, if asked what their favourite toy is I would find it really hard to answer.

Betty is mainly into little fiddly things, like jewels, beads, shells, pretty stones, and marbles. Whereas Dolly is into using anything she can find in my kitchen, and carrying sand and mud and water into the house with it and then throwing it around.

Having said this, every single time we enter a shop, Betty points at some random plastic toy on the shelf and says “Can I please have that for my birthday?”  “Yes of course you can my darling” I tell her, knowing full well that she (hopefully) won’t remember.

And I am almost tempted to tell all invitees to her party that no presents are allowed – but I am not sure Betty would ever forgive me.

Guest post from Elsie Button