Parents, have you ever waited until your kids weren't looking to take a favorite toy away that you hated?

Question

My husband got my son a ride-on Thomas the Tank Engine. It makes the sound of a train when its pushed and he plays with it none stop. I know he will grow out of it but good grief! I hear the sound of a train in my sleep! lol. Have you ever secretly hide a favorite toy of your child. Hes 2 so he won't really notice I don't think. The sound can be turned off but he knows how to turn it back on! lol. And he mainly does it at night after his sister (8 mo) goes to bed and wakes her up. He doesn't understand that its quiet time! (hes a little slow, he really doesn't understand)

Answer 1

I haven't taken the toy away, but the noisy ones did "break" sometimes... I fessed up to the kids last summer and they thought it was HILARIOUS... of course, they're 21, 18, and 13 now... and they listen to their cousin's toys all the time.. so they understand that at some point you've just HAD it...

Take the batteries out when he's not looking.. and when he tries to turn it on, act like you're also trying... then say, "Gosh, I guess it's broken! Good thing it still goes, huh?? Even if there isn't any sound!!" That way he keeps the toy and you keep your sanity.

Of course, a certain amount of noise is inescapable...

Answer 2

Yes, I've done this. But if the problem is mainly him waking up his sister after she goes to sleep, why not just take it away then? Make it a rule that he can have his special Thomas toy only when sister is awake, then get him another special Thomas toy-- a QUIET one, for when she is sleeping. Or a Thomas DVD to watch, or something (I've got tons I'd love to get rid of when my kids won't notice-- ha!). He is two, he can understand this much, unless you're talking serious delays here.

Answer 3

My son remembers every toy he owns, even the little ones from McDonalds. I had to develop other strategies. For quiet time, I drew (horribly too) a sleeping baby on several pieces of paper. I taped them to the baby's door, to the entrance to the hallway, on the living room wall and in the playroom. Whenever the baby was sleeping, I would put them up, then my older son would know it was quiet time. We made a special "garage" for noisy cars etc and a special box for noisy toys. They had to stay in the box for quiet time. I would also plan a special activity for my older son when my younger son had gone to bed, a computer game with me (try Fisher Price website or Sam's Club to buy CDs), or a board game, or a book. My son had just turned two when his brother was born so he was about the same age (my son is entirely too smart for his own good though). Kid rarely understand "don't". I always try to find a "do"; telling them what to do instead usually works. My younger is just about to turn 2 and we have a baby due in July, I think this time I will try to find some sleeping baby pictures online, I can't draw at all.

Answer 4

LoL - I feel your pain! I really do! I have a two year old who also understands how to turn things on and off (and if she cant will bug me until I cave in an do it for her!) but a lil trick I have found is when hes asleep, take the batteries out, or if hubby is handy with gadgets and things, get him to pull a wire or something to stop the noise...when they notice its not working the next day? I told my daughter she broke it! I guess some might say its cruel, but I think it would be crueler if I cracked it from the constant noise! LoL
Good Luck! :o)

Answer 5

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Answer 6

i had to do that with one of my nephew's toys. it was one of those ones where you have a toy hammer that you bang on different annoying things that pop up and make annoying sounds.one day while he was taking a nap i "hid" this toy and in its place left a much quieter toy.when he woke up he looked at the new toy for a moment then started playing. as long as your child isnt emotionally attached to the toy it should be a smooth transition

Answer 7

I take outgrown toys away but for the really annoying ones (IE Elmo TMX) I remove the batteries "oops Elmo's broken!"

Answer 8

HI, YES