How do I give my child a second-hand present?

Question

Our only child has mostly received new things: clothes, toys, books, etc.

We have a lot of Lego (a lot of it inherited), so we don't really want to buy more. I have some Lego Technic sets that I bought and built as an adult. Now I want to pass them on to my child.

How can I give these as a present so that he will not only accept but also appreciate them? Since they aren't new, there's no as much fun in opening the box, for example.

He has also seen them in the past, though he's never paid attention to them.

Answer 1

If your child has a subject they are really interested in and you can build something related to that subject from the Lego that you already have, then you can use the second hand Lego Technic to your advantage.

See if you can locate an image and possibly a building description of the item that interests your child and then create your own (overcomplete?) set of Lego in a box of your own design.

That way, you have turned your second-hand Lego sets into something unique and if your child asks why the gift wasn't bought in a store/in a box from Lego, then your answer can be that it doesn't even exist in the store. That unique is the gift.

And remember, opening the box on something new can only be done once. After that, it would be the same as opening the box on a re-packaged second-hand item, even if the toy was brand new the day before.

Answer 2

Does he like Legos? Sounds like he might not really have an interest in them currently?

Since it sounds like you are a fan of Legos and want him to share your interest, a good way to start would be to first try and get him to build something with you a few times. Get him interested in the Legos first then when he is interested and has built Legos with you a few times you can give them with the additional sentimental value that "these were mine and I want you to have them".

If you gave them without him having an interest he is likely to never play with them not because they aren't new, but because he doesn't like legos.

Answer 3

We have no problem giving second hand items as presents. I definitely thought about it as a concern, but decided to just go for it.
I've mentioned to the kids the value of reuse (reduce reuse recycle), so theyre pretty used to their parents trying to avoid waste. And.... they're totally fine with it. Even gave the five year old a used Santa present. Santa doesn't like waste either.

The nine year old is aware that we spent less money on reused stuff. She figures she should now get more of something else. :) So, there is some bargaining.....

Answer 4

9-10 years old is old enough to have a mature attitude about this. Simply ask him if he would like them, and if he would then give them to him.

Reading your question, though, it sounds to me like this is more than just wanting your child to have something for his own benefit. It sounds like you specifically want this to be successful - like these mattered to you as a child, and you'd like him to share in your joy in these.

In that case, then you can increase the likelihood he might enjoy them by talking about why they were important to you as a child, about the good memories you had with them. If it matters to you, then tell him why it matters to you. It's possible he'll still not be interested in it, but sharing your feelings and memories can help him understand why it's important to you.

Ultimately, be prepared that they might not be his thing - and that is okay. Perhaps disappointing, but you can't force him to enjoy things of course. If that happens, then at least you still have your fond memories, and he understands you better.