Christmas and birthdays.. The absolute best time of year if you are a kid.
The absolute most expensive time of year if you are a parent.
The absolute most hard to manage time of year if you live in a motorhome/caravan/backpack.
The absolute most expensive time of year if you are a parent.
The absolute most hard to manage time of year if you live in a motorhome/caravan/backpack.
When deciding what to buy Gypsy for Christmas, we had to really think about size, practicality, and how many uses it had. We encouraged our family to do the same.
We decided for Christmas to buy Gypsy a toy kitchen and after much shopping around, found one that fitted in perfectly at the end of her bed, wedged between the mattress and the roof! She also got a variety of foods etc to go with it that can be stored either inside the oven, or in her normal toy box beside it.
We took the opportunity to explain to Gypsy that because she would be getting lots of presents, she also had to give lots as well. We made a big effort to include her in the present buying for her cousins.
Then, after Christmas, we pulled all of her old and new toys out and did a cull. Favourites stayed, non-favourites (including some new ones) went.
Tips:
* Speak to your child about giving and receiving and allow them to be part of the process.
* Lay all of the toys out in categories. Then minimise each group of toys. Gypsy had 8 rubber ducks! Now she has 2.
* But gifts that have multiple purposes, or can be used in different ways so they don't get bored with them.
* Buy a box that fits where you intend to store it and allow your child to only have as many toys can fit into the box.
* Buy things that can be later incorporated into craft activities.
We decided for Christmas to buy Gypsy a toy kitchen and after much shopping around, found one that fitted in perfectly at the end of her bed, wedged between the mattress and the roof! She also got a variety of foods etc to go with it that can be stored either inside the oven, or in her normal toy box beside it.
We took the opportunity to explain to Gypsy that because she would be getting lots of presents, she also had to give lots as well. We made a big effort to include her in the present buying for her cousins.
Then, after Christmas, we pulled all of her old and new toys out and did a cull. Favourites stayed, non-favourites (including some new ones) went.
Tips:
* Speak to your child about giving and receiving and allow them to be part of the process.
* Lay all of the toys out in categories. Then minimise each group of toys. Gypsy had 8 rubber ducks! Now she has 2.
* But gifts that have multiple purposes, or can be used in different ways so they don't get bored with them.
* Buy a box that fits where you intend to store it and allow your child to only have as many toys can fit into the box.
* Buy things that can be later incorporated into craft activities.