McDonald's Toy Exchange

Published on June 6, 2006 By JillUser In Home & Family

I don't take my kids to McD's very often but I used to take them far more often than I should have. We have an overabundance of the toys to prove it. Of course they never want to part with any of them.

My new deal with the kids is if we go to McD's and they want a happy meal, they have to throw out two of the old toys. It is kind of a two steps forward, one step back program. We have already managed to wean them of expecting pop when we go out to eat. They both are making much more healthy food choices. Now we are working on the toys.

Comments

pseudosoldier

on Jun 06, 2006

We started not asking about getting rid of them.

Now that I'm alone, I'm accumulating them again... it's only a matter of time before I have to "clean house." (It's already past time for me to actually clean house.)

JillUser

on Jun 06, 2006

it's only a matter of time before I have to "clean house." (It's already past time for me to actually clean house.)

It's soooo much easier to actually clean house when it isn't cluttered with toys everywhere! I have been trying hard to ban the bulk of the toys to the boys' room and the basement. I'm going to have to be more militant about it once the baby is here and mobile. Maybe not wanting their baby sister chewing them up will inspire them to put them away....that's probably just wishful thinking.

Adventure-Dude

on Jun 06, 2006

My mom would just watch and see if we weren't playing with a toy and then she would take it hide it for a month. Then if we didn't ask for it she would then get rid of it (thrift store or trash). Didn't know this until I was older.

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dharmagrl

on Jun 06, 2006

Jake just graduated from the Happy meal/Big kid's meal to an adult combo meal, so we're past the problem of the toys. However, we too went through a time where those cheapo bits of plastic and fluff were EVERYWHERE, and it got to the point to where the kids weren't going to McD's for the food, they were going for the toys.

So, we made them do the same thing that you're doing, Jill. If they got an new toy, they had to throw an old one out. Actually, we still do that with some things - clothes, for example. They're getting into clothing and style, so if they get a new, trendy shirt/pants/shorts, they have to throw an old, not-so-trendy one out or give it to the Goodwill. We learned that lesson the hard way with Shea - she accumulated a TON of clothes that we had to sort out. Luckily they've found themselves a good home with one of Gideon's girls.

JillUser

on Jun 06, 2006

Then if we didn't ask for it she would then get rid of it (thrift store or trash). Didn't know this until I was older.

Your ability to mentally catalog toys was apparrently far worse than my sons'. They remember every piece of every little toy. I have tried the "hide it away" trick. It simply doesn't work with these kids. They can't seem to remember a thing I tell them to do but they can remember every single toy they have ever owned and can usually even remember where they got it!

Jake just graduated from the Happy meal/Big kid's meal to an adult combo meal, so we're past the problem of the toys

I think Alex is almost there. He probably would be already if he didn't have a little brother to remind him of the toys.

foreverserenity

on Jun 08, 2006

What a good idea. My kids has quite a lot from McDonald's as well as Burger King. I tell ya when my daughter gets into her toy box and spills everything on the floor all I do is groan cause she never cleans up. I keep threaten her with the fact that one day they're all going to disappear.

JillUser

on Jun 08, 2006

foreverserenity, it only took my husband one instance of getting a garbage bag and beginning to throw toys that were on the floor into it for the boys to take us seriously. Now when we tell them to pick their toys up off the floor or they will get thrown away, they take us seriously.

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