Kid's Toys

 My wife and I were pillow talking and we were talking about childhood toys. She of course growing up with the nuclear family had toys and such while I grew up in a broken home with very little. I came to realize something in our discussion that quickly threw me off. I can count on a single hand how many toys I had from ages 6-12... 4 Toys. Up to age 6 my parents were together, life was peachy, then the divorce and life came crumbling down. I didn't have much growing. I was very neglected/abused and well used as canon folder for parental disputes. I went to 11 different elementary schools. I couldnt keep long term friendships because of this. As far as normal childhood toys, at age 6 all of my mighty morphin power ranger toys went into a storage that my folks didnt make a payment on. So all lost. No one really cared about my birthdays or christmas. If I got a toy, it'd be temporary. That was then. What about now? I have 2 amazing daughters. I spoil them left n right. Our monthly discussion is often, they have too many toys lets downsize. And we do. Its funny, how one often compensates for what they lacked in life. People say too many toys is bad. Less is better cause it creates imagination. I say B.S. to all of that. It doesn't matter if a kid has no toys or a hundred toys. What Matters is the parent engaging with them. Toys or not. Imagination is taught to them with play. Kids do naturally play and love fun time. But the best play my daughters get, is when I step in and play with them. This I am proud of. I have given them the time and date my parents never afforded me. If they play with dolls, I'm right there with them. I do scavenger hunts with them. I play Dora the explorer with them. I write books with my oldest and we make em with illustrations.(She's a much better drawer then me. The amount of kids toys never mattered. What matters is being there for your kid to help them grow in imagination, determination, self appreciation, selflessness, lessons, and to know, their parent is more than just another person in the room.