Letting go...

[lovesbabysquirmy]

I don't have much interest in having my ponies as a display collectible anymore.  They are made to be played with, right? 

So why am I having such a hard time handing my ponies and pony stuff over to my kiddo to enjoy? 

Discuss!    I need advice.

[thecakeissisley]

I find it difficult to give toys that you collect to little children simply because the playing might ruin the pony's hair and/or body (especially the hair, don't give children toys with hair! Just kidding lol but really, you know how pony hair and doll hair gets tangled very VERY easily). Especially since most of us went through hell to get some of those ponies fixed. It always irritates me when my 5 year old sister takes my ponies, because I know that when she'll give them back, the hair will most likely be a mess. It's probably hard to give your collectibles to children to play with because you've tried so hard and so long to keep them 'perfect', without a single scratch or stray hair. It hurts to see heavily played-with toys in general, but when it's YOUR toys, it's even more painful

Of course, the older the child, the more responsibly they'll play with the toys. If I wanted/had to give my toys to a child, I'd just start with my least favorites, the ones who I don't like that much, the ones who are not my all-time favorites.

[Artemesia's Garden]

I'm not sure but I feel like G1s are too precious to be played with now, but g4 are ok. Maybe you need a bit more time...

[shintoji]

it's completely understandable that you'd have a hard time with it, especially since they're something that you spent a lot of time, money, and passion into keeping them in good shape. it's always hard to give things up, especially things of emotional (and financial  ) value. i'd say to hold off on giving them earlier gen ponies until they're older, just to make sure they dont do any damage to a pony thats particularly rare.

[banditpony]

I am not there yet, but I've bought a lot of ponies so that one day I can give them to my kid. She has a few years yet, but I don't think I'll have an issue since that's what I had in mind all along.

It would bring me a lot of joy seeing her play with then instead of being dust collectors. Even if she was rough with them.

There are a few hands off ponies like htf Nirvanas,my child hood so soft or some really minty so softs and flutters

Maybe it would help to think about how happy your kid will be!

Sorry about typos. On phone

[LunaDehligt]

I have a hard tim letting my son playing with some of my ponys but he can play with some of the g1 and all the g3-g4 and he loves them i just have to fixt the hair again to put them on the shelf again

But i can say it is hard to lett it go.

[Sandi]

The thought of kids playing with G1s, G2s and rare G3s make me shiver.  Only really baity ones would be ok. Imo, they're not toys anymore, they're collectables. There are so many G4s, common G3s and fakies that the kids could play with instead. They don't have to destroy the older ponies that are left. Myself as a child I was very careful with my toys and rarely broke anything and never cut the hair, but I know most kids actually do that.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. 

She already has about 30 ponies of her own.  I mean, she was given the Taco Bueno Minty I found recently even without question.
I guess that's the problem - having already so many!  Gifting her with more seems just... too much.

In perspective, when I was her age, I was about to receive my SECOND pony.   She already has more than my teenage collector years! 

And I know that I will have to supervise her with the playsets, but I want to make bigger and better playsets for them out of other materials, and get creative about enjoying the IDEA of magical ponies doing stuff without actually needing to fill cabinets and shelves just to look at.   

She doesn't have access to scissors or markers or pens so I am not worried about destruction in that way.  She watches me clean them and brush them all the time.  I have salon day with her and I brush all her ponies for her.  It's just... it seems like a lot, and she might not cherish them in the same way I did and that kind of makes me sad but I understand I will always have the memory of the pony.  Not everyone is lucky enough to have their childhood ponies so I'm just being sentimental I guess. 

[daffodil101]

^aw, that sounds like a beautiful little ritual of pony-care for you two to share!  I'm sure she'll have precious memories of that time spent with you and the ponies

I plan to re-hair ponies with cut/totally frizzed hair to give to nieces/future daughters I might have.  That way they'd be lovely to play with but less valuable from a collector's standpoint.  I wouldn't be giving them my collection unless they were super-careful type kids (like those who kept their ponies in mint condition with all accessories for many years). 

It's true though, that kids now have so much material stuff around them, the special-ness does get lost more than when you only have a handful of beloved toys.  it's kind of a pity.

[hathorcat]

Simple...do you still enjoy MLP?

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Simple...do you still enjoy MLP?

Definitely!  I just don't feel the need to keep them displayed on shelves anymore.   

I think I will start with the giant 3 foot G3 castle and explain how gentle she needs to play with it.  If I put her own ponies in there, then I can see how she will play with more ponies.

[hathorcat]

If you still enjoy them then I dont think its surprising you are having a hard time making that step from display to toys again.

I think the idea of doing it in parts is the best plan. And if nothing else there is no harm in you keeping your very favourites on display.

[Haruna]

Question: How old is your daughter? (totally fine if you don't want to post that, just wondered as it might determine what you give her and when)

[palaisdejouets]

Question: How old is your daughter? (totally fine if you don't want to post that, just wondered as it might determine what you give her and when)

Yeah, to me it all depends on the age of the child and even more than that, their... disposition. I don't have kids, but I do look after my friends' kids and we play with my collectible toys, but it's usually a situation where we're playing together. Also, the child in question usually gets the different vibe of taking dolls carefully out of cabinet to play with, you know? Even at age 4 or so.

[Mermaid]

I don't display my ponies any longer, just a select few on my book shelf (Starglow, posey and ribbon) for the same reason: I dudbt want to display them any more.

So I packed them up in a couple giant rubber maids, and every now and then I take them out and an flooded with live and memories!