Monday 8 February 2010

My love/hate relationship with Lego...

Every parent who has Lego in their life knows exactly what I am going to say. And with every parent is a child who loves their Lego and would play everyday if allowed.
Our children make all sorts of marvelous creations. Setting them up all over the house.
Of course then the littles will grab them, pull them apart and toss the pieces all over. Little Lego pieces spread far and wide. Some will even reach the driveway, and in the car.

We have Lego in every room of the house. While some rooms look clean and Lego free, do not be fooled. Lego is in there hiding.
After we sold our house last year the only thought I had after we left for the last time was "I wonder how much Lego the new owners will find in there, and in the backyard"

Then we move on to the number one question posed by parents about Lego. How to store it. Wow, the answers I have heard to this question.
One family has several tubs, with Lego pieces organised by colour. Another has it organised into the different types of pieces. Another, and I find this the most funny, but sad for the child, whenever Lego is purchased, say a Plane, truck, spaceship for example, it is put together and then must stay that way. Yes the child can play with it, but it not allowed to take it apart.
If by chance parts are taken off, the parent will get the instructions and fix it again.

Our method, IMO is the least causing of headache. A huge tub in the bedroom. Lego is 'meant' to stay in the bedroom. Every now and then the kids want to tip it all out. So we get a huge blanket and lay it out, dumping the Lego in the middle.
After several masterpiece creations are made, the children all marvelling at how awesome and fantastic they are, we grab each corner of the blanket and pour it all back into the tub.

While I have found this is the least hassle when dealing with Lego there is one teeny detail that means nothing will ever beat Lego, and you will never get rid of it, even after you pack it up and sell it on eBay, give it away, or make the kids take it with them when they leave.

The detail? Lego breeds. You may think you have found every piece, but you haven't. Lego is hiding, in nooks and crannies beyond your reach. Breeding. Mocking you.
Waiting. Waiting for that moment in the middle of the night when you decide to get a drink from the kitchen. Its dark. On your way to a nice refreshing drink you step on a piece a Lego. What the f---? How did this get here, I thought I got them all.
F-----g Lego.

4 comments:

Daddyo said...

Dont forget the joy it brings when you walk into a lego trashed room with the vacume cleaner in had, you've never seen children clean with such speed.

Nat said...

I came to post "Bwahahaha" and then read Daddyo's comment. I think BwahahahaHAAAA is in order. :D (Can you tell we haven't hit the Lego stage of our parenting journey yet?)

Louise said...

LOL, indeed lego has many amazing aspects- I am so fed up with here at the moment it has all been packed away in storage fpr the last week, the boys ask everyday- when canb we get our lego back Mum?

Kat said...

Oh how sad for that child, isn't the point of lego to let their creativity go wild. We had a similar method to yours for storage as kids and at the moment we're still only at duplo stage so no actual lego in htis household yet but will be pretty much a one tub experience here too.