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The dollhouse dilemma

For her second Christmas, Mallory got a very nice wooden dollhouse from Santa. Her grandparents and aunts chipped in to get all the associated furnishings and dolls.

She played with it fairly regularly for a while, but then when Phoebe came along, we had to rearrange some things in her room and it kind of got pushed back to an inaccessible corner. Later, we moved it into our attic playroom, but by that point, they were both more interested in Polly Pockets and Barbies, and the dollhouse got very little use. I estimate they play with it once or twice a year.

I would like to get rid of this dollhouse. I think it's a wonderful toy, it's high-quality, it's a great thing -- but my kids don't play with it and it's taking up quite a bit of space and gathering dust. I've considered saving it for my grandchildren, but that assumes that I'll have grandchildren that will be interested in a dollhouse, which really is a tall assumption, and we don't really have the storage space to hang on to this for 20 years or so. I have thought I'd either try to sell it on craigslist (thus generating a bit of cash for this year's Christmas presents) or offering it to a friend of mine who just had a baby girl.

However, when I mentioned to the girls that I was thinking the dollhouse had to go, they protested. They love the dollhouse! The dollhouse is their favorite! The dollhouse is very special to them! How can I consider giving away the dollhouse!

Except, they don't love it, except in an abstract way. I understand that it's upsetting to lose childhood toys, but we've gone through this before (selling Little People playsets at garage sales, donating stuffed animals to charity) and within days they've forgotten all about the toys they no longer have. It would seriously not be a deprivation for them to be without this toy.

On the other hand, I do feel that dollhouses ARE special, and have a kind of symbolic importance. I would be a little sad if we didn't have this dollhouse around anymore.

So, what wins out here? Practicality or sentimentality? What would you do?

Comments

Karen said…
What a dilemma! Maybe you could hang on to it another year? I don't know if there is a good answer.
mimi said…
See if mom and dad can put it in their attic. or, if we can box it up well you can put it in my storage shed.

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