No More! - - - Less, Yes! AKA The Great Toy Purge of 2007.

Yup, I've had it, again. I threw a huge fit on Friday(actually two huge fits - poor kids) and then I did some thinking. Here's the deal:

We live in a small house ... We have a total of about 1000 Square feet. We do most of our living upstairs ... basically we live in a 25 foot by 25 foot box ... we have a basement that is about the same size that is about 80% finished(the rest is storage and furnace area and J's work room where he keeps his tools). Upstairs is divided in half by a small hall ... the front door leads into the living room, A's room is next to the living room the short hall contains the doors for the bathroom and stairwell downstairs then there is the girls' room and the kitchen next to each other and the dining room/entryway/add on porch off the back of the kitchen(there used to be a door but we removed it when we insulated the backroom). So boxes in boxes ... the living room, bedrooms and kitchen are all about 10 feet by 10 feet the hall is about 3 feet wide, all additional space is taken up by the old fashioned lath and plaster walls and the brick exterior walls. The bathroom(we only have one) is tiny with just enough room for the door to swing in and the toilet and sink and tub/shower. The kids are always bringing their toys out of their rooms and it drives me nuts ... they can play in their rooms(especially A who has almost all his floor space clear because his bed is a loft bed and he doesn't have to share his room).

So enough is enough I have made my decision ... I'm taking all their toys away from them until they can learn to take care of and value their belongings. It's a common complaint ... most modern parents give our kids too much ... because we love our kids and we love to make them happy but we all overdo it. My kids are not as bad a case as some but they are bad enough.

First step: I've cleaned their rooms and put things away. I will go thru their toys with them and we will decide what can be just tossed now(donated or trashed depending on the toy's condition).

Second step: Each child can choose one comfort toy and two playing toys. All other toys will go into storage. In two weeks if they have taken care of the toys they have chosen they get to describe the next toy they want out of storage.

I have to set a maximum toy number, I'm thinking 10. If after 6 months a toy hasn't been asked for or exchanged for(once each child reaches their toy max they can exchange for new toys) it goes to donation.

From now on at birthdays and Christmas they will get one toy gift ... all other gifts will be clothing or money(to go towards other useful items - like school supplies, bedding and shoes). Or family members could always choose to donate a toy to a charity.

Now to implement it ... I have step one done, about half way.

Cass :)