As parents, we often wonder why we hold onto our children’s childhood trinkets. Are we collecting them to sift through later and enjoy a little nostalgia, or do we really plan to pass these treasures on to our kids when they’re older?
Imagine this: years from now, you excitedly present your adult daughter with a box full of her cherished keepsakes. You expect her to light up with joy as she explores the contents. Instead, she gasps, slamming the box shut. “Eww! Are those my baby teeth?” she exclaims. “That’s gross! Why would you keep those?!”
Not the reaction you envisioned, right? You quickly snatch the box away before she spots the umbilical cord you had lovingly preserved in a frame. Yikes!
A friend of mine recently shared a similar experience (thankfully, sans the umbilical cord) when her dad handed her an envelope containing her baby teeth from 45 years ago. This got me thinking—if we’re saving these keepsakes for our kids, shouldn’t we be a bit more considerate about what they might actually want to see decades down the line?
Determined, I decided to declutter my home of items I dubbed “mementos.” I examined each piece through the lens of “Will my kids really want this someday?” Here’s what I found:
- An unused newborn diaper. Not sure why I saved it; the surprise of having a tiny human might have influenced that decision.
- 27 toddler-sized shirts. Yes, 27! I guess I thought I’d miss the memories of my boys wearing them, but honestly, I can’t remember which shirt belonged to whom anymore.
- Standardized test results from grades 4-8. What was I thinking? Did I believe they’d need these for college applications?
- Two recorders from 4th grade. I didn’t enjoy their music back then, so why would I want to relive it?
- Report cards from kindergarten to high school. I’ll admit I got sidetracked reading the glowing comments from their early teachers. “Your child is a gift!”—those were the days!
As for artwork, I didn’t have the energy to photograph every piece for an album. I’m still stuck on the baby book for my now 19-year-old, so I’m clearly not cut out for that kind of project.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m not heartless! There are plenty of items I’ll keep, whether my kids like it or not: family photos, playbills from their performances, newspaper clippings, locks of their hair, and some handmade cards that still tug at my heartstrings. Plus, I won’t be parting with their toys anytime soon.
I vividly recall my mom giving away all my beloved Barbie dolls when I headed off to college. I was devastated! Sure, I hadn’t touched them in years, but I was convinced I’d want them for a future daughter. Of course, the one Barbie I managed to keep was quickly dismembered by my boys, but still…
To test my boys’ attachment, I let them rummage through the items I was ready to toss. Surprisingly, they didn’t want any of it—especially their baby teeth. “Why would I want those?” my youngest exclaimed. “That’s just creepy!”
In conclusion, as we sift through our kids’ treasures, it’s worth considering what they’ll actually want to hold onto in the future. For more information on family planning and pregnancy, check out this excellent resource on treating infertility. And if you’re curious about at-home insemination options, Make a Mom has some great kits available to help.