Kids gifts to Grandparents

I love all the wonky plonky things too.
Notes , drawings, hand made cards with all the wrong spellings.
My eldest Grandson is nearly 20 and I still carry ( in my handbag) the brightly coloured little clay heart that he gave me when he was three.

I love the wonky plates too but also treasure a fridge magnet GS1 brought back from Crete , it must be 4 or 5 summers ago when he was perhaps 6 or just 7.
The children had each been given a small amount of money to spend in a shop before flying home and GS was very quiet about what he had spent his money on
Later in the month when I was visiting he shyly presented me with this, still in its paper bag and D admitted she had no idea he had bought it. ?

am I odd?

I think so yes. Like pretty much everyone else on this thread, I too treasure the wonky pictures, the "models" they've made that collapse as soon as you look at them, even the dubious looking biscuits are accepted with delight and gratitude - because they've been made with time, love and care for ME. The little pottery house, with a red heart above its door, was made for me by DC 33 years ago and still stands proudly on my kitchen windowsill. In a fire, that would be my first rescue.

Oh dear .. I seem to be very odd ... btw ... they have their own money and I still say I would MUCH rather have a recycled gift from a Charity shop than wonky plate.. a gift chosen by the kids on a subject they know I love .. I can't see the objection .. we are not all dotty Grans in a Rocking chair gazing lovingly at
shelves of whatever .. Also I wonder if the kids would be pleased if I gave them a knitted scarf complete with holes and dropped stitches ....

I love getting anything the grandchildren have done. We have pottery plates with their handprints on them, and one of my favourite pieces of artwork is a fabric collage that my five year old granddaughter made for me. Her mum cut out the pieces but she stuck them all to the frame herself.

I’ve never been brought such things by my DGC , maybe the odd painting or handmade card. The cards go into a keepsake box and once the child has left the paintings go in the bin .
I’ve hardly kept anything from MY DC never mind anything else . I’m really not sentimental over stuff . 4 of mine are teenagers and last DGD is ten so it doesn’t happen anymore anyway.

My three children are in their 30s and 40s. I have a cabinet in the garage which has any number of cards, embroidered items, poems, Christmas decorations etc. I have now started saving my granddaughter’s offerings!

. Also I wonder if the kids would be pleased if I gave them a knitted scarf complete with holes and dropped stitches ....

Good point, I am not sentimental over children's things they have made nor elderly relatives that knit hideous items.

It is absolutely not the same.

Your job is to give them presents that they really want but can't afford, or just give them money.

They are under no illusions about your promise as an extraordinary artist or crafts-person or inventor.

You are their Granny so do what Grannies are supposed to do - give them love, encouragement and, if you can afford it, money.

My daughter handed me a painting she had done, which I threw in the bin, when she was about 5.
I can still remember her little face looking at me all reroachfully as she said "But it's only a little painting..."
Lesson learned.

Awwwww, but the wonky gifts and indescribable painting are a masterpiece to our GC, made with all their effort and love.

I appreciate all wonky indescribable gifts.

I’m. A Ute Serb nurse and yes it’s odd as most grandparents would give anything for the drawings and art that’s been done from their little ones. We spend lots of time nurturing these little minds and it means a lot for them to be received well. And yes I have four grandchildren too.

Sorry nursery nurse.

I do think you can have too much of a good thing.
Some paintings are masterpieces, others, not so much.

My younger son, when aged 7, handpainted a mug with the wobbly words “for the best cook in the world” and proudly gave it to my MIL.
You can imagine my rage when I found it in a box of items she was chucking out.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

My daughter died three years ago, just after becoming a grandma. I am so glad I kept everything she sent, made me in her 47years, at least I will be able to give her grandchild an onsite into who her grandmother was as she gets older. So cherish everything.

Everyone is different.
There is no right or wrong way to feel about things.
We are as we are.

These things are made from the heart and given with unconditional love. What is there not to like, I love handmade presents and cards, they mean so much more.

If storage is an issue, you could keep the latest 2 - 3 items, and take photographs of the things you have no space to store.
Cards and little drawings can be stored flat in a box under the bed.

Having neither children or grandchildren, it means the world to me when a child from the school with which I am associated gives me a picture they have drawn for me.

Yes I think you are odd.
I don't get anything from my stepsons DD, i suppose they think that as my hubby is no longer alive and she was born 15 years after he died that i'm not a 'Granny', even though i love her to bits. I would love anything made by her for me, but i just don't come into the equation.
Doesn't help that my stepsons mom has never liked me so i am never considered, and as a lad, it never enters his head that i feel left out.
I will just have to wait to my DS or DD have kids.

MissAdventure

Everyone is different.
There is no right or wrong way to feel about things.
We are as we are.

Feelings arrive and leave and they are as they are. However taking a stance, an attitude, based on those feelings is different and there is a right or wrong to this.

I have a small trinket box with a lid lovingly made by one of my GC out of Fimo, I wouldn't part with it for the world! My GC like to visit me and make things for their other GP and we always ensure it is something useful too, all they need is a little guidance.
My GC are now past the stage of dubious paintings and creations from dried pasta. The two youngest did make two beautiful Get Well cards recently when I was poorly too.
I agree with some comments, we do reach a stage where we have to be selective on what we keep but a gift is a gift and should be accepted with grace regardless of whether it's wanted or liked.

Not just odd, but a bit sad too.

We'll have to agree to disagree, Grammygrammy