By Ask Alice
Dear Alice,
I’ve got two children in a relatively small NYC apartment. Every time we go to visit a favorite aunt and uncle they shower my girls with gifts. It comes from a place of love but I have noticed that they are employing the “more is better” method of gifting: they just load up on as many cheap toys as possible, wrap them all up and give them a huge pile of colorful plastic all at once. The effect is, I admit, wonderful: joy, elation, excitement and my kids of course love these relatives and have come to expect this treatment. The problem is then I have to come home to their tiny room and tell them that I am throwing away all the toys. We try to be environmentally conscious and this really bugs me; but on the other hand, I don’t want to ruin the fun or be that kill-joy parent who dictates what gifts need to be purchased. I can’t figure out if it’s landfill or love. Any advice for how to deal?
