As parents, we often find ourselves holding onto our children’s various mementos from their early years. Is it for the occasional trip down memory lane, or are we saving these items for our kids to cherish when they’re older? If you lean towards the latter, consider this hypothetical scenario:
Years from now, you present your grown daughter with a box filled with her cherished childhood treasures, expecting her to be thrilled. Instead, she gasps in horror, exclaiming, “Wait! Are those my baby teeth? That’s so disturbing! Why would you keep those?!”
Not quite the sentimental moment you had envisioned, right? In a panic, you snatch the box away before she spots the umbilical cord preserved in acrylic. Clearly, she wouldn’t find that particularly endearing either.
A friend recently shared a similar experience (thankfully minus the umbilical cord) when her father gifted her an envelope containing her 45-year-old baby teeth. This incident made me ponder: if we are saving these items for our children, shouldn’t we consider what they would genuinely value decades down the line?
With that thought, I embarked on a mission to declutter my home of these so-called keepsakes. I sifted through items with the perspective that anything I save could one day belong to my children. The question loomed: would they truly want these items?
During my decluttering, I stumbled upon several items I am quite sure my kids will never miss once I toss them:
- An unused newborn diaper. I must have saved it to commemorate that my child was once tiny.
- A collection of 27 toddler-sized shirts. Years ago, these were too precious to part with; now, I can’t recall who wore what.
- Standardized test results from grades 4 through 8. What was I thinking? Did I believe they’d need these for college applications?
- Two recorders from fourth grade. I didn’t enjoy the sound then, so why would I want to hear it again?
- Report cards spanning from kindergarten to high school. I confess I became sidetracked reminiscing over the earlier ones that praised my child as a “gift.” Those I kept; the rest went to recycling.
As for artwork, while my husband wished I would photograph each piece to compile into an album, I have yet to complete even the first year of my 19-year-old’s baby book. Let’s just say we aren’t scrapbook enthusiasts. Besides, how much of this artwork can I realistically save?
I’m not entirely heartless, though. There are numerous items I plan to hold onto, regardless of whether my children express interest: photographs, playbills from performances, newspaper clippings, a lock of hair, handmade cards that evoke emotion, cherished books, and select toys. Their toys are safe; I won’t repeat my mother’s mistake of giving away all my childhood treasures.
In preparation, I allowed my children to sift through the items I planned to discard, asking them what they would like to keep. Surprisingly, they showed little interest—especially not in their baby teeth. “Why would I want those? That’s so weird!” exclaimed my youngest.
In conclusion, while we may have the best intentions in preserving our children’s mementos, it is worth considering what they might truly value in the future.
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