Aww...look at it. Isn't it shiny? It certainly was a stunning sight on Christmas morning. Perfect and gleaming with a nice big bow.
Well, the Kidcraft Retro Kitchen has certainly become a part of life in Raygunland. It sits just off the kitchen so when I'm cooking, Kellan can too -- and keep safely away from the dangers of the real kitchen. But with all the possibilities of imaginative play, comes one big drawback. It's something that didn't occur to me until a few days before Christmas, when a co-worker bemoaned the fact that his wife bought the kids another kitchen. He pointed out that the family's previous kid kitchen had a nasty habit of exploding all over the house. And he predicted much of the same with Kitchen #2.
Hmm... I thought. Didn't really consider that possibility....
Of course, at that point, it was too late. And now I know exactly what he was talking about.
Of course, when Santa bought the kitchen, it didn't contain all that food. That was all purchased as gifts by our sweet and generous family. But boy, is there a lot of it.
Of course, when Santa bought the kitchen, it didn't contain all that food. That was all purchased as gifts by our sweet and generous family. But boy, is there a lot of it.
It's great for all kinds of recipes ("eee-pees," in Kellan-speak) or grocery shopping. Not so good for a mommy who is currently on a mission to seek out and destroy clutter.
Just looking at the pictures makes me tired.
But I will say this: I felt a tiny surge of pride when reading about another blogger's desire for some compromise on all the boy toys in her household. She is drowning in boy stuff and really covets the Melissa & Doug Slice & Bake Cookie set. Yay! We have one! (Thanks, Mom.)
I guess that makes me feel a little better. This house is an equal opportunity play environment. Kellan has cars and blocks and a bike, AND a Cabbage Patch Doll that he takes very good care of. So even though I spend a lot of time dodging wooden fruits and vegetables when I'm passing through the house, at least I'm not tripping on a ton of little cars and army soldiers when my house becomes a nightmare in Toyland.
At least not yet.
But isn't it great that he PLAYS with these toys!! The toy clutter I hate is they stuff that gets hauled out and NEVER played with.
ReplyDeleteI've resorted to putting half of the kitchen ingredients away at a time. I rotate them each week so the kids don't get bored with what's out and I don't have to look at ALL of it ALL the time. Maybe that will help?
We got a play kitchen and put it right next to my kitchen too, so the kids would stop pulling my pans out of the cupboard. It's always been a clutter problem. Now that they're older, they do water play in their little kitchen (not mom approved). Creative, messy play is just a part of development. Creative children are messy. There's no way around it.
ReplyDeleteHee..hee...is it wrong that the friend with no kids giggled through this posting? I feel a little guilty....but I know you'll find a way to manage the clutter! And I know you'll get the last laught when in a few years, this too is my dilemma!
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