https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:55:28 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589746 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 11:40:43 +0000 alphagam84 2589746@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely weird. Gifts go home with the person who receives them, they don't stay at the givers house. That would be frustrating for a child to not be able to have their gift with them to use. I'd just tell them your child really likes the gifts and wants to have them at home to play with and you're taking the items home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589727 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 11:28:55 +0000 MaryM 2589727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I remember my grandparents doing this a few times at Christmas. But it was usually stuff we already had at home (like legos) so it wasn't that big of a deal. And I think we usually got something else that we did take home with us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589685 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:50:35 +0000 avivoca 2589685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would not be okay with it unless it was a really big gift (like a train table or something like that). Otherwise, it's just a cheap way to have toys at their house and I would not be happy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589660 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:29:10 +0000 looch 2589660@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well my son would be packing up the toy and they would be welcome to try to convince him the gift stays behind, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589658 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:26:20 +0000 youboots 2589658@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can see why they might do this- but it's a little weird. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589655 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:24:03 +0000 oliviaoblivia 2589655@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely weird, but better than no gifts I guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589627 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:12:23 +0000 erinbaderin 2589627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, it makes sense to have some toys that just stay there, but it's weird to have them be the birthday and Christmas gifts. I agree that you should take some of the toys your kids don't use so often over there, or if they want to have different toys maybe pick some things up at yard sales? That's what my parents did. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589567 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:04:34 +0000 jhd 2589567@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My sister has two LOs and I have one. My mom bought a Thomas train table one year for all the grandkids for Christmas and it stays at their house. But the kids also got plenty of presents to take home and for their birthdays they always take their presents home.</p> <p>If it were me, and LO was upset about not getting to take it home, I would have my DH ask if he could take it home for now but bring it back next time he visits. I always get DH to talk to his family about anything like that instead of saying something myself. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589564 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:03:15 +0000 ShootingStar 2589564@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's really weird. It would be one thing if you told them you had too many toys, but for them to buy him a "present" and then put restrictions on it just super weird to me. My parents buy all sorts of stuff for DS to play with at their house, and it's meant to stay at their house. But it's not like they do that with Christmas or birthday gifts. And if he really liked something and got attached to it, I'd say tell them he really likes it and ask if it's ok if we bring it home. But it's my parents, not my ILs, so it's easier to have that conversation.</p> <p>Meanwhile my MIL buys stuff to have around for my niece (her daughter's daughter) but not my son. Even though her daughter lives a plane ride away and we live 45 minutes... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589555 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:56:18 +0000 Adira 2589555@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's not a gift if he's not allowed to keep it! It would be one thing if they got him something and you'd prefer it not at your house and so YOU made the decision to keep it at their house, but for them to make that decision? That's not cool.</p> <p>Depending on the gift, I'd be all "OMG, Xander LOVES it! We're bringing it home so he can play with it ALL THE TIME!" And if they try not to let you, I'd say something like "Is it for him or isn't it? If it's his, he's allowed to take it home with him." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589552 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:52:01 +0000 cat620 2589552@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: This year we had his birthday party at a party venue, and they didn't bring a present with them. They told him he would have to open it at their house, which I think they did that to ensure it would stay there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589549 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:50:33 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2589549@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's a little odd to have an easily portable present stay at grandma's house. He should be able to take his gifts home with him. I am in favor of having some toys, crafts, games etc that can only be found at grandma's, but a bday gift should go home with him. What if the gift was given at a neutral party place- would grands have packed up the gift and taken it back to their house? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589544 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:42:11 +0000 Mamaof2 2589544@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: I love this idea! Good way to rotate toys too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589543 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:41:03 +0000 catlady 2589543@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually try to do this on purpose (my dad goes way overboard with presents and we don't have room for them), but if it is not something you want to continue, I'd just talk to them about it. You might mention now that he is older, he'd like to take his presents (or some of them) home with him, and see how they react. They might have just not thought about it. Grandparents can be weird sometimes. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589541 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:39:44 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2589541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Maybe you could offer to leave a few of his older toys over there and then he could take the new presents home until he gets bored of them? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589536 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:34:56 +0000 snowjewelz 2589536@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Tell him to ask them next time if he can bring stuff home, lol! It is kinda weird... How do you explain to a kid that this is your present but you don't really keep it? I think it's great that they want to keep toys at their house for him, but maybe this isn't the most logical way to approach it..... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/birthday-presents-from-in-laws-for-grandkids#post-2589531 Thu, 21 Jul 2016 08:23:27 +0000 cat620 2589531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My in-laws have been doing something I've never heard of before when it comes to birthday presents for their grandkids. My two sons are their only grandkids so far, and they babysit for us about 3-4 times a month for date nights and when I have appointments. Plus, we visit for holidays and other occasions. Our kids spend a good amount of time at their house.</p> <p>The in-laws don't have a lot of kid toys at their house, since they got rid of a lot of the stuff from their own children. When they babysit, I often bring toys with me and bring them home again, but my in-laws decided they want to have toys at their house too.</p> <p>Here is where it gets interesting. For all the gift giving occasions, my in-laws buy my kids presents, but they are meant to stay at their house. So when my son turned 3, we went to their house, so he could open his present, which was a hot wheel car set and some track. Then when we left, the present stayed there, so he can play with it when they babysit or when we visit. When my son was younger, he didn't seem to notice what was going on. But this year, after we got back to our house, he asked where his present was, and I had to explain it was at grandma and grandpa's house, which he wasn't too happy about. He got over it quickly though. We have a lot of toys at our house, so maybe they think we don't need more toys, but I'm not sure I like the idea of all his presents staying at their house. It doesn't seem like it's really his present then. And I'm assuming when they have other grandkids, they will all play with what are supposed to be my son's presents. What do you think of this set-up? Would you be in favor of it? If not, would you say something? </p>