Steve Andrews

Steve Andrews

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Another study says kids are happier with less toys

     I tell my daughter and her boyfriend this all the time. They have the best of intentions. My grand daughter has a lot more toys than my wife and I were able to buy for our kids.  Of course, part of the reason is we had 4 kids. My daughter joking says it because I was "cheap." Which I think might be part of the problem. So many parents think they have to keep up with other parents in the toy purchasing department. I always used to tell my kids: "Some families will always be able to buy more, but plenty of other kids have less. Be thankful for what you have." 

     Now a new study published in Infant Behavior and Development should alleviate some guilt parents feel about not buying their kids enough toys. According to the study children in an environment with fewer toys have happier healthier play times.

     Researchers gave one group of kids 16 toys and another group 4 toys. The group of toddlers with fewer toys actually stayed engaged longer. They found new ways to use the same toys which helps them develop better cognitive skills.  In a nutshell, the more toys kids have the less focused they will be. 

     So kids need toys but it's OK to go through them and toss some out every once in a while. The other lesson for parents here is to think in terms of quality not quantity when it comes to toy purchases. My parents were always pretty serious about making sure I would actually use the toys they bought. Before deciding to spend their hard earned money on them. Thanks mom and dad! 

     That's my very adorable grand daughter in this post. 


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