What Big Purchases Have You Made And Then Regretted?

[Patches]

DITTO !!! Calls for children over two are an extreme rarity for me. In the past 3 years, I have had 3 children start over age 2. I will have 2 24m+ openings in August, and have no idea when we will fill those...

Yep, infants, infants, and more infants

[Familycare71]

The teeter totter I just bought, that the kids LOVE and NY says I need 6" deep wood chips under

[Angelsj]

I haven't necessarily bought anything big but I have spent a ton of time creating activities and games for the kids to play with and none of them seem to be interested.

Oh well, just like meal time....it's only my job to have it available but I certainly can't make any of them do it.

I have the same issue. I was spending a ton of time to find new crafts and activities the kiddos would enjoy and they would spend two minutes eating the supplies and run away. Now we only do that about twice a month, so when we do it is new and different, and they have at least a short attention span.
Otherwise, we learn using letters, numbers and things that are durable so if they have no interest, I am not out hours and hours.

[Leigh]

I spent a very large chunk of my budget last year on outdoor play equiptment after contacting ccr&r AND DHS to be sure I didn't need ground surfacing. that changed their mind less than a year later!! Now I'm trying to sell it because I don't want woodchips in my yard

That ****s! Have you considered something like this: http://www.matfactoryinc.com/playgro...roundmats.html ?

[Sugar Magnolia]

A $3000 fire alarm system. The fire marshal told me it was required 3 years after I opened. Not a new law, just somehow "accidentally overlooked" in previous inspections. Really. I guess I only regret it because it cost $3000 dollars.::

On a personal note, I regret buying a car that takes.different sized tires on the front and back.Stupid

[daycarediva]

Little people, cars, animals and sets-I bought the entire lot at a consignment sale, 2 farms, 2 zoos, an airport, 2 different houses & all the furniture you can think of, a garage, campsite, the entire zoo talkers set, vans, school buses, lots of cars with duplicates, + more for $200. I thought it was SUCH a steal since my own kids LOVED little people. I have rotated those toys in EVERY TIME I start a new kid, for the last 3 years and NOBODY has liked them. But when my neighbor kids came over to play, it entertained them for HOURS.

[cheerfuldom]

Little people, cars, animals and sets-I bought the entire lot at a consignment sale, 2 farms, 2 zoos, an airport, 2 different houses & all the furniture you can think of, a garage, campsite, the entire zoo talkers set, vans, school buses, lots of cars with duplicates, + more for $200. I thought it was SUCH a steal since my own kids LOVED little people. I have rotated those toys in EVERY TIME I start a new kid, for the last 3 years and NOBODY has liked them. But when my neighbor kids came over to play, it entertained them for HOURS.

thats just plain crazy. all the kids here LOVE little people. I have a decent sized collection and it is a big hit

[daycarediva]

thats just plain crazy. all the kids here LOVE little people. I have a decent sized collection and it is a big hit

I KNOW! I can't believe my weird little group. The ONLY thing that occupies them is sensory play, blocks (any & all) and cars/trains. They make cities for hours, but when I tried to 'help' them play with the airport and have it 'fly in' and add a zoo to visit, they just stared at me like I grew a 2nd head and continued to play AROUND them.

It's ODD, but I think it's because they very, very rarely play pretend with figures/people. I have mainly boys, and they pretend the cars and trains can talk (like Thomas and Lightning McQueen).

If I bought those character cars, they would flip, but I loathe character things.

[cheerfuldom]

I KNOW! I can't believe my weird little group. The ONLY thing that occupies them is sensory play, blocks (any & all) and cars/trains. They make cities for hours, but when I tried to 'help' them play with the airport and have it 'fly in' and add a zoo to visit, they just stared at me like I grew a 2nd head and continued to play AROUND them.

It's ODD, but I think it's because they very, very rarely play pretend with figures/people. I have mainly boys, and they pretend the cars and trains can talk (like Thomas and Lightning McQueen).

If I bought those character cars, they would flip, but I loathe character things.

mmm....thats an interesting theory. I have all girls and they love pretend play. Dress up, animal and people figurines, little people set, "doctors office"

[KDC]

Our honeymoon! Should have chosen Hawaii over Mexico

Not dc related, but I agree. We went to Sandals in St. Lucia and I couldn't have been more disappointed =(

DC related, I bought a CARS Mack truck for $30 retail because the kids were REALLY into McQueen... it was pure junk. I was so mad! Turned me off retail completely and really made me do my research online. On the flip side, I got a new little people train with many accessories for $3 at a garage sale this weekend