What the *bleep* am I going to do with this?*Update* pg 4 - Page 3

[mommy2abigail]

First, ITA that they are not a great toy, and not safe and all that. BUT, boy would I have KILLED for one when I was a kid!!! A few friends had one when I was younger, and I wanted one SOOOOOOOO bad. We actually got dd one from a yard sale because *I* remember wanting one so much. She didn't get it at first, and when she did, it lost it's fun factor really fast. We live in a very safe cul de sac, so she was able to ride it quite a bit, but it was boring for her to rude it all alone. So we then gave it away to charity. I say take it to Grandma's house, and it will maintain its fun factor a little longer. HTH

[staceychev]

Originally Posted by mommy2abigail

BUT, boy would I have KILLED for one when I was a kid!!! A few friends had one when I was younger, and I wanted one SOOOOOOOO bad.

We got the FAO Schwartz catalog when I was a kid, featuring the ultra cool, scale model, actually-working cars (this was a big deal back then in the late 70's and early 80's--you couldn't buy those things at the regular toystore!). I begged my dad for one and Dad, in his infinite wisdom, said "You can have one for your thirteenth birthday." Ha. Wise dad knew that I wouldn't (a) fit in one or (b) want one when I was thirteen.

[treqi]

I was not allowed one my mom thought they were to dangerous and iI was 7 when I started asking, that would be a DEFINATE NO for a 3 yo even my MIL thinks theyre dangerous and when she found one at a garage sale for my niece she took the battery out.

[Zach'smom]

Did you MIL buy this with good intentions or does she know you don't approve of such toys and buy it to spite you?

If she did it with good intentions I would say let her keep it as a Grandma house toy. If you are comfortable with your 2 yo in it.

If she did it to be nasty I would just say "no". In a diplomatic way of course.

It looks like a fun toy for kids, but a nightmare for parents!

[jdedmom]

We have a Power Wheels Jeep, a John Deere Gator and a Power Wheels motor cycle. The boys love them. My almost 3 year old can not steer the Jeep so he's not allowed to ride that one. My uncle pulled the motorcycle out of the trash and we replaced the battery.

If you have a big yard or live on a steet that is not too busy I think that they are fun.

[Doodlebugsmom]

Originally Posted by jdedmom

We have a Power Wheels Jeep, a John Deere Gator and a Power Wheels motor cycle. The boys love them. My almost 3 year old can not steer the Jeep so he's not allowed to ride that one. My uncle pulled the motorcycle out of the trash and we replaced the battery.

If you have a big yard or live on a steet that is not too busy I think that they are fun.

I agree! Ds is 3, and he rides the little Kawasaki like a champ. (Of course, he does want to race motocross professionally when he grows up. ) Dd is 5, and she can't steer the thing at all. She's content to ride on the back while ds does the driving.

[Neldavi]

Originally Posted by Kajira

BUT it's teaching them to associate bigger is better/more fun.
It's indoctrinating that this old hulking beast is just fine and normal, and it ain't!!

Exactly

[Zach'smom]

I think we'll just stick with the old fashioned kid-powered toys. Bikes, scooter, flying turtle, wagon, etc.

[Quinalla]

Sounds like making it a toy for Grandma's house is a good option, since the space/safety is the biggest concern for you. It is odd to buy a gift that large without any notice for sure.

[devster4fun]

Skimmed replies. To OP:

I totally see your point....now.

Just a tiny defense for Gma...before I had a child, I bought my Nephew something like this. (although NOT a Hummer!!) I had never thought about how much space it would take, safety etc... I just had never had kids or been around kids and didn't know. And, it looked like so much fun and I would be like, the "cool" Aunt

I guess Gma can't give that same excuse, but I think her heart was in the right place.

fwiw...I think you, as the Mom, should decide whatever is best for your family.

[lovingmommyhood]

I see nothing wrong with it. If you don't want it, tell them you want to keep it at their house. Simple.

The "argument" that if they have a toy hummer as a child they will buy one when they're older is just silly.

[NaomiMcC]

Originally Posted by Momily

Could you give it to him and not let him know about the batteries? My son had several noisy toys given to him at that age that I never put batteries in, I don't think he ever noticed.

Without the batteries it would be a cool thing to climb on, sit in, use his imagination while he pretends to drive, (although still a Hummer -- Yuck) but wouldn't be as much of a safety hazard.

When your MIL in law comes you can just tell her the batteries are "charging".

That's a good idea.

[NaomiMcC]

Originally Posted by lovingmommyhood

I see nothing wrong with it. If you don't want it, tell them you want to keep it at their house. Simple.

The "argument" that if they have a toy hummer as a child they will buy one when they're older is just silly.

:

[PrennaMama]

Originally Posted by Hoopin' Mama

It's really just.......I don't know, I'm speechless.

I am thinking of asking him to tell her it should be a toy for Grandma's house. There are quiet roads at their house that are safe, she has the storage space, and we only go every other month or so.

Great idea! My mom has a cache of toys at her place for the girls (both 2) some of them are similar monstrosities... she knows those live at her place. She's cool with it; there are special things at Nana's place!

Originally Posted by Hoopin' Mama

By the way, I never said she was trying to ruin my child. I can save all that for another thread

Originally Posted by Hoopin' Mama

Anyway, space and safety is the real issue. The fact that it's a Hummer is secondary. And no, I haven't seen these things move.
<snip>
For ds' first birthday, MIL gave him (among other things) a time-out bench and the paddle that she used to spank dh with. I didn't react rudely to that, I'm certainly not going to be rude to them over this.

They got him a license plate for it that says 2Fast4U

I was about to ask what the bottom line was, and you answered it. If you don't take issue with the Hummer gift philosophically, and it's just a safety/space issue, as far as your place is concerned, then leaving it g'ma's seems the best option. If it's a moral thing, that is, it doesn't sit with your values, then say something, so she knows not to get this manner of toy in the future.

If you loathe it and can't or won't keep it at G'ma's... sell it on eBay! Then get him some things you dig.

Re; the paddle and naughty-bench...omg. That you could be cool as a cucumber is a reflection of what an evolved person you are... wow. Did you have a ritual burning of the paddle and bench, later??

Originally Posted by Zach'smom

I think we'll just stick with the old fashioned kid-powered toys. Bikes, scooter, flying turtle, wagon, etc.

I wanted one of these too, as a kid... my dad thought that toys like this were what made some kids get fat. He wasn't into them. Funny enough, dh feels the exact same way and equates juvenile obesity to being spoiled by "toys that doing the playing for them."

[srbushey]

Originally Posted by Momily

Could you give it to him and not let him know about the batteries? My son had several noisy toys given to him at that age that I never put batteries in, I don't think he ever noticed.

Without the batteries it would be a cool thing to climb on, sit in, use his imagination while he pretends to drive, (although still a Hummer -- Yuck) but wouldn't be as much of a safety hazard.

When your MIL in law comes you can just tell her the batteries are "charging".

ROFL! I know now why my parents never could "afford" batteries when we were children! We had all these toys that wouldn't do what they were supposed to because guess what, no batteries!!! That's the best idea I've seen yet. That is, if you really are sure you simply CAN'T tell MIL the truth or somehow get her to take it back.

[alaskaberry]

Originally Posted by Hoopin' Mama

What I'm a supposed to do now, and where in heck am I supposed to store such a monstrosity????

Have your MIL store it at her house, so he can play with it every time he goes over there. Just tell her straight out, you appreciate her generosity but you've nowhere to put it and it's dangerous for him to play with it in your neighborhood.

[littlemizflava]

aww i want one for my dd

[momto l&a]

Appeal to your MIL in the way of safety.

There is no place safe for your ds to ride it at your home. Thus they must keep it at their place.

My dd want one of those types of cars so badly, but the $$$ made dh say no.

[Hoopin' Mama]

Originally Posted by PrennaMama

I was about to ask what the bottom line was, and you answered it. If you don't take issue with the Hummer gift philosophically, and it's just a safety/space issue, as far as your place is concerned, then leaving it g'ma's seems the best option. If it's a moral thing, that is, it doesn't sit with your values, then say something, so she knows not to get this manner of toy in the future.

Re; the paddle and naughty-bench...omg. That you could be cool as a cucumber is a reflection of what an evolved person you are... wow. Did you have a ritual burning of the paddle and bench, later?

I do take issue with Hummers, but honestly I wouldn't care if it said Prius on it. It's not safe for a 2yr old IMO, and we don't have the space. Not to mention, I am actively trying to reduce the amount of plastic that moves through our lives. I'm not a purist. I didn't say anything about the gigantic plastic pirate ship/toybox they bought him that now resides in ds' bedroom.

Dh pulled the TIME OUT letters of the bench, painted it, and now it sits on the patio for ds. I don't know where the paddle went, but for a while ds used it to hit balloons around.

I don't think they do it on purpose to bug me, but they do also know I don't like it. When they told me about it, stepFIL started the conversation laughing and saying "You're really going to hate us for this -- guess what we got him?"

I am going to have an honest, gentle, conversation with MIL and explain my concerns and why it should stay at their house. I won't even bring up the Hummer issue because they already think I'm : Or as she puts is "we know how you are".

If they insist on bringing it here, then I will insist that battery be removed before it arrives so ds does not see it move. Once he sees that it moves, it's all over. They are excited to see him drive it, so I think that will settle the problem.

Regardless of my feelings, I try real hard not to deprive them of having fun with my child. But the size of this makes it a little exceptional. I usually try to keep the peace.

[Hoopin' Mama]

Originally Posted by littlemizflava

aww i want one for my dd

I take funded paypal.





KIDDING!