Context: The above is a quote from some article I read some years ago, which always stuck with me. I will expand on it, a bit, below.
Context-eile: I'm just in from watching a Leinster match, have had several pints, and am still drinking. This may make noooo sense tomorrow.
First and most important thing: I hear you. Been there. Put together the unfeasibly large toy (at silly o'clock!) Had the discussion about us really needing more plastic crap... reeeally?
1. Too. Much. Stuff. It's perfectly ok to say "Ooh! That's lovely! But - no thanks." You are far too nice a person to ever do that, though, so maybe a tactful/diplomatic "They loooove the fire engine! Thank you! But it's so big, it's taken all the storage room, we've no room for any more toys!" might work? Even with a "Maybe... ask us what room we have or what they need, next birthday?"
2. Time. The thing I mentioned above, about the jam. Prompted, in the article I read, by someone despairing about the sheer number of things they had to do in a particular timeframe, while caring for X number of people. They finished with "And I still haven't made any jam!", to which the person they were venting to answered with "You know, you can just buy jam?" There are shortcuts, workarounds, postponements, and "this'll do"s - take them!
And call in friends for favours, when needed! That's what we're for! ;-)
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Context: The above is a quote from some article I read some years ago, which always stuck with me. I will expand on it, a bit, below.
Context-eile: I'm just in from watching a Leinster match, have had several pints, and am still drinking. This may make noooo sense tomorrow.
First and most important thing: I hear you. Been there. Put together the unfeasibly large toy (at silly o'clock!) Had the discussion about us really needing more plastic crap... reeeally?
1. Too. Much. Stuff. It's perfectly ok to say "Ooh! That's lovely! But - no thanks." You are far too nice a person to ever do that, though, so maybe a tactful/diplomatic "They loooove the fire engine! Thank you! But it's so big, it's taken all the storage room, we've no room for any more toys!" might work? Even with a "Maybe... ask us what room we have or what they need, next birthday?"
2. Time. The thing I mentioned above, about the jam. Prompted, in the article I read, by someone despairing about the sheer number of things they had to do in a particular timeframe, while caring for X number of people. They finished with "And I still haven't made any jam!", to which the person they were venting to answered with "You know, you can just buy jam?" There are shortcuts, workarounds, postponements, and "this'll do"s - take them!
And call in friends for favours, when needed! That's what we're for! ;-)