5 Comments
Mar 3, 2023Liked by Sara Petersen

Since wooden toys have become super trendy, I've noticed that a lot of wooden toys are garbage quality. I've bought wooden puzzles and other toys that when I open them up, it's obvious the won't make it through one or two kids before they end up in the trash. On the flip side of that, my kids have plastic toys that are from the 80s that are still going strong.

Overall though, I hate having to defend my toy choices. Or rather, I hate feeling like I need to defend (or even choosing not to defend feels like a choice).

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“what I would really love is to have a conversation with dads who are talking about their philosophies on children's toys because that will be the motherfucking day.” BRAVA! As I recapped for my husband everyone’s schedule for today and who has school and work and has an early release and who’s using what car and going to which friend’s house and when and where and everything for next week ....... this stuff is taking up immense amounts of space in the brains of mothers, at much cost. Just reading this made me fairly anxious and so grateful my kids are 17, 16, and 11 and that no one will be judging me for my choice in toys. Social media has changed so much of motherhood and I’m eternally grateful my kids were little before the pressure was on in that space, or at least before I chose to participate in that space. Thank you for this work!

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SO MUCH BRAINSPACE!

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Mar 3, 2023Liked by Sara Petersen

And of course this goes back to how if a dad shares a picture of him playing with his kid he's "such a good dad" but if a mom shares a pictures she's judged for the content (toy choice, clothing choice, etc)

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Mar 7, 2023Liked by Sara Petersen

I will just add that on SO MANY levels most Dads don't spend one iota of time beating themselves up about any of the choices they made or their "responsibility" in how their kids "turn out." If I try to even talk to my husband about my worries that something I did or did not do influenced our kids in this way or that way, he looks at me like I have three heads. He cannot even begin to comprehend.

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