Family members can sometimes be very generous when giving gifts to children at Christmas or on their birthdays. A toddler, however, doesn’t need to receive a ton of presents to be happy. Even he may no longer know how to react when he receives too much.

Why should mountains of gifts be avoided?

A child can easily feel overwhelmed and not know how to deal with their emotions when they receive a lot of gifts at the same time. Here are different reasons why it is better to avoid the mountains of gifts.

• It’s a lot of stimulation and emotions to manage.

Birthday or Christmas parties already require a lot of adaptation from a toddler. They change his routines in addition to giving him a lot of stimulation (guests, decorations, music). This makes the child experience strong emotions. As he does not always have the words to say what he feels, he may react by becoming very excited, moving a lot, crying or shouting. The mountain of gifts therefore adds to the already numerous stimulations. If, in addition, parents and guests urge the child to open his presents and have expectations of his reaction, it becomes very difficult for a toddler to manage.

• It can get stressful and frustrating.

It’s possible that a child has been looking forward to the toy he’s been talking about for weeks. If he has to set it aside after unwrapping it to open other presents instead of playing with it, he may feel rushed and frustrated. This mixture of joy and frustration is also difficult for a toddler to manage. When there are a lot of packages to unwrap at the same time, a toddler can also become indifferent, no longer take the time to look at his presents and no longer feel like opening more.

It’s not just gifts that amaze and excite a child at birthday and Christmas parties! There is also, for example, the presence of friends and family (cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents), decorations, cakes and the party atmosphere.

• It takes away the specialness of a gift.

The child who receives a ton of toys each year does not learn to appreciate and take care of what he has. Moreover, abundance diminishes the meaning attributed to the gesture of giving and receiving. When a child is used to receiving a mountain of gifts, he can also start to believe that he will always get everything he wants.

• This prevents the child from being interested in his toys.

Toys have an important role to play in a child’s development . They allow him to develop different skills (eg stacking, classifying, catching, imagining, speaking, etc.). When he receives too many gifts at the same time, the child does not have time to discover his toys and explore their possibilities.

• This can get him used to always wanting lots of presents.

Gifts are quickly associated with holidays and Christmas, but at first a toddler does not have the ability to imagine the number or the value of the gifts he receives. When the child is very young, he does not have too many expectations in relation to the gifts he will receive. He may even forget what he asked for. It is with habit, by dint of receiving several gifts, that a child expects to receive more.

• It does not meet the expectations of the child.

The fact of giving a mountain of gifts sometimes responds more to the need of adults to be generous than of children. Moreover, the child often receives much more than he had hoped for.

Discover the pleasure of giving and receiving

Remember that your child especially needs you to be interested in him. What really makes her happy is the attention you give her. This can be expressed with a single gift, chosen or crafted with care, having in mind what your child likes. For example, your child may be very happy if he receives only one gift, but you take the time to discover it with him. It will certainly be the same if his grandpa sits on the floor with your child to help him assemble his new toy and have fun with him.

You can also take advantage of the holiday season to give your child experiences of sharing and generosity . For example, offer him the opportunity to discover the pleasure of giving by offering to make cards or crafts for people in the family. You can also encourage him to donate a toy he no longer uses to a toddler in his life or to a charity organization. You can also invite your child to participate in preparations such as choosing a gift and its packaging. It helps him understand and appreciate more about giving and receiving.