Discussion » Questions » Babies and Kids » Why can’t (or don’t) parents teach their very young children that people don’t WANT to see every single toy they own, or see how each toy

Why can’t (or don’t) parents teach their very young children that people don’t WANT to see every single toy they own, or see how each toy

works?  Grrrrrrrrrrr. 

Six-year-old: “Uncle Randy D, do you want to see my umptifratsalator toy?“

Randy D: “Well, maybe a little later . . .”

Six-year-old: “Good, because here it is!  I’ll show you where to turn it on, and how to increase the power, and where all the controls are, and where the batteries go, and the box it came in, and we can go outside so I can show you how it works, and in the commercial on TV there is this kid, I don’t know his name, well, he has one, but it’s the blue and red one but mine is green and orange, and do you know how to put in the batteries because I do and I can show you, and there are five whistle tones that I can let you hear each one but you have to close your eyes when I turn on the main light because we have to pretend it’s at night and I can only play with this before bedtime if I don’t have any homework that day, and if my brother wants to play with it I have to let him or he will cry because he’s only four years old and I’m six, do you know how many fingers are six because I have to use two hands to show you because there aren’t enough fingers on one hand for six fingers, and if we go outside I have to wear my jacket or my mother will yell at me for getting a free-bear I don’t know what it is but I had to take medicine last time, and I couldn’t play because I was in bed for two days, my brother has his own toys but he likes to play with mine and I never play with his because they’re baby toys, and can I show you all of mine?”

Randy D: “I have something to do right now, so . . . “

Four-year-old: “Uncle Wendy D . . . “

Randy D: “It‘s Randy. My name is Randy, not Wendy. Randy is a guy’s name and Wendy is a girl‘s name, I tell you that every time I come over here.”

Four-year-old: “Ok. Uncle Wendy D, I want to show you my new toy!  Look, it flies!”

Randy D: “Wonderful. Listen, show it to your big brother and explain to him how it works . . . ”

Six-year-old: “But you can’t look at his toys yet because you haven’t seen mine!  I was first!”

Four-year-old: “Uncle Wendy D . . . ”

Randy D: “It’s still Randy. Boy’s name, Randy, not a girl’s name, Wendy.”

Four-year-old: “Ok. Uncle Wandy D, I can jump from the table to here, want to see?”

Six-year-old: “It’s because he’s a baby.”

Four-year-old: “I’m not a baby!  I’m this old!”

Six-year-old: “You’re holding up TWO fingers!  You don’t even know how old four is!”

Eight-year-old: “Uncle Randy D, look at my new dolly!  Hold her!”

Randy D: “Does she make sandwiches?  Never mind, never mind. It’s ok, sweetie, I don’t want to hold your dolly.”

Six-year-old: “That’s because he‘s a guy, and he wants to see my toy!”

Four-year-old: “No, he wants to see mine!Here, Uncle Wooley D, you have to see mine!”

Eight-year-old: “Hold her, Uncle Randy D!”

Six-year-old: “Mine!”

Four-year-old: “Mine!”

Eight-year-old: “Mine!”

Four-year-old: “Let me show you my video game, Knuckle Rolly Three!”

Randy D: “That’s Randy D, I keep telling you that.”

Six-year-old: “Oh, I have a video game too, Uncle Randy D!  Do you want to play it with me?”

Eight-year-old: “My dolly, Uncle Randy D, feed her, give her the bottle!”

Four-year-old: “Me first!”

Six-year-old: “No, me!”

Eight-year-old: “Uncle Randy D, come watch me ride my bicycle!”

Six-year-old: “I have a bike too, Uncle Randy D, come watch me ride mine!”

Four-year-old: “Uncle Wendy . . . ”

Randy D: “Randy, not Wendy.”

Eight-year-old: “You can make her pee!”

Six-year-old: “Ewwwww.”

Four-year-old: “ . . . want to see my dinosaurs?”

Eight-year-old: “Uncle Randy D, you can feed my dolly her bottle then come and . . . you’re not paying attention to me, Uncle Randy D, come watch me ride my scooter!"

~

Posted - December 25, 2019

Responses


  • 7939
    LMAO
    It probably comes as no surprise, but I egg my kids on, especially when someone has given them a really annoying toy. Yesterday, someone gave my eight-year-old a toy gun that lights up and makes noise. I sent my son over repeatedly to show that person all the features and all the trickshots he could come up with. I figure if I have to listen to it for the next few months, they can handle an hour of it. :p Perhaps it's the same in your camp.
      December 25, 2019 4:44 PM MST
    5

  • 53503
    Grrrrrrrr, so it’s you, the parent!
      December 25, 2019 5:32 PM MST
    3

  • 5808
    Chill out Dude
    give the kid some energy
    he's only young once this lifetime.
      December 25, 2019 5:37 PM MST
    2

  • 4624
    It's got nothing to do with the new toys, and everything to do with a pretext for demanding your total and undivided attention.

    I'm sure you can work out a solution that helps everyone get their needs met - including you.
      December 25, 2019 5:55 PM MST
    2

  • 14795
    Get a life ,children are our future.....plus they are not going away....This day ,all children will be seen and also heard...:)
      December 25, 2019 6:12 PM MST
    2

  • Lol, you're that guy
      December 25, 2019 7:05 PM MST
    2

  • 46117
    I think that some people have no patience with kids.  That is what I think.  Let them show me anything they want. I much prefer the company of kids over adults any day of the year.  ANY DAY.  
      December 25, 2019 8:40 PM MST
    5

  • 4624
    Lovely!
    I can see the love in you. :)
      December 26, 2019 6:02 PM MST
    1

  • 23576
    A - MEN!
      December 26, 2019 7:39 PM MST
    0

  • 53503

    Randy D: “All three of you, look over there, quickly now, look, it’s your Auntie Sharon, and she hasn’t seen any of your toys yet!  Hurry up, let’s see which one of you can get there first, don’t let Auntie Sharon get away! Show her every one you own! And don’t forget to take her outside to show her all the tricks you can do on your bikes!  Go, go, go,, go, GO!”



    ~
      December 26, 2019 7:39 PM MST
    1

  • 23576
    Sounds fun to me!
    :)
      December 26, 2019 7:46 PM MST
    1

  • 44602
    My grand kids aren't like that and neither were my kids. It was quite an enjoyable visit.
      December 26, 2019 7:16 AM MST
    3

  • 53503

    (grand kids grandkids)
      December 26, 2019 8:26 AM MST
    1

  • 7280
    What if your grandkids were in fact grand individuals as well as being a "grandchild", i.e., a child of one's son or daughter?  How would one best phrase that?
      December 26, 2019 10:38 AM MST
    2

  • 53503

      One would phrase it differently than when referring to one’s grandkids. 
    ~
      December 26, 2019 7:26 PM MST
    0

  • 7280
    Excellent exposition of the situation.

    Fortunately, it is quite possible to validate the child and his feelings without scarring him for life by introducing (or emphasizing) that boundaries exist for a reason and both you and he are entitled to set their own.

    Sometimes even the parents will learn something.

      December 26, 2019 10:34 AM MST
    3

  • 4624
    Are you a psychologist, Tom?
    You sound like you might have knowledge about functional functioning. :)
      December 26, 2019 6:22 PM MST
    2

  • 7280
    No.

    Having been raised by my parents, I was convinced that parenting could not possibly be as challenging to the average person as it apparently was to them---so I thought I would give it a try.

    (In their defense, there wasn't much information in the late forties and early fifties available to parents.)

    Spent most of my spare time in college in the library in the psychology section; also took a few courses---like Child Psychology---and read a good deal of current literature that was available at the time.

    Our 3 boys 54, 49, and 37 think we did a pretty good job.
      December 30, 2019 12:35 AM MST
    0

  • 53503

      Who’s trying to validate* the little buggers?  They’re not even my children, nor are they related to me. I just happen to be one of the guests at the family’s home. 

    *Validate?  What the heck is that supposed to mean, anyway?



      December 26, 2019 7:30 PM MST
    1

  • 7280
    Randy D---are you telling me you have never had the legitimate pleasure that is derived from validation performed prior to the onslaught of pubescent hormones?
      December 30, 2019 1:01 AM MST
    0

  • 53503

      I’m telling you that a few of you took this post much more seriously than it was meant to be.  It’s not even a real incident.
      December 30, 2019 7:52 AM MST
    0

  • 7280
    Good humor often has a sound basis in reality.

    Your example was an excellent hyperbolic fable about very real principles and human interactions between children and adults in general and close friends and relatives with those same children.

    Remember Marie Curie was rewarded by fortuitous serendipity.
      December 30, 2019 1:08 PM MST
    0

  • 8214

    ROTFLMAO, HAHAHAHA that is so precious Randy D.  : )

      December 26, 2019 2:45 PM MST
    3

  • 53503

      Finally, someone who appreciates humor, and who knows I’m just kidding!
    ~
      December 26, 2019 7:31 PM MST
    1