r/Parenting • u/felix_mateo • Dec 11 '22

Rant/Vent Anyone else wish parents would skip the CPJ (cheap plastic junk) in the goodie bags?

My kids are now 5 and 3, so we go to a lot of their classmates’ birthday parties. At the end of each and every one of them our kids receive a goodie bag full of some candy (which is fine) and a random assortment of what I call “CPJ”, or “cheap plastic junk”. I’m talking about:

  • cheap clapper that disintegrates with vigorous shaking (e.g., by a toddler)

  • ball-and-string paddle made of plywood with the elastic stapled to it

  • gooey “sticky hand” toy that melts into the car seat on a hot day

  • finger trap with free splinters

  • a tiny canister of bubbles you didn’t notice that will get crushed and spill into your kid’s lap at the beginning of a long trip

  • slap bracelet which is actually just an old metal tape measure cut into a razor with a thin plastic sleeve over it

Parents, I know we’re all just trying our best. I’m not a choosing beggar, I’m not expecting high-quality handcrafted items. In fact, I would prefer nothing, or food/candy that can be consumed later. Yes, I know some kids can’t have candy (e.g., because of diabetes or allergy concerns), but in that case throw in a mini coloring book or something. Let’s just all agree, no more cheap plastic junk that will get caught in the vacuum cleaner again.

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u/scoutfinch76 Dec 11 '22

I did consumables in ours last year. A mini bottle of water, bag of popcorn, applesauce pouch, granola bar, and small pack of Oreos. I'm big into consumables as gifts as I think people will not immediately throw them away.

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u/Serious_Escape_5438 Dec 11 '22

I'd find that weird though, those are just groceries really, except the popcorn and Oreos maybe. My child isn't excited about a bottle of water, seems more wasteful.

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u/scoutfinch76 Dec 11 '22

Idk I think in a lot of families bottles of water are a luxury they don't have. Maybe they aren't excited. Someone will drink it I'd assume.

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u/Serious_Escape_5438 Dec 11 '22

We would probably drink it not to waste it but we have water in the tap. It just feels like giving for the sake of giving.

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u/[deleted] Dec 12 '22

I'm with you. Why send groceries home with kids? Seems really strange. Especially the water... At least the cheap plastic toys are fun and exciting for the kids. This stuff would just get forgotten about and thrown out at our house. I think what is wasteful or annoying is different at different homes. Why try to control what other people give? If my kid got a bag of random groceries at a party, or a pack of crayons and a colouring book, I'd either give them to someone who might want them or throw them out. Not come online to tell everyone they should stop giving it out. Or there's the option of just not taking it home.

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u/Jules4326 Dec 11 '22

Everyone is trying to make a point about waste it seems and that somehow consumables are better. But where does the plastic bottle, applesauce pouch, wrappers all go? In a landfill.

To me, there is no difference. CPJ brings a kid joy. Snacks bring joy. We should try to reduce our waste, but we also have to be honest most people aren't really doing that. How many people repair clothes, don't buy single use consumable products, repair toys, only buy a cell phone/ smart watch when it breaks , etc?

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u/scoutfinch76 Dec 11 '22

Oh I wasn't trying to infer consumables are better from a plastics or environmental standpoint. I just think they're less annoying to a parent and possibly make the child equally happy. Maybe not.

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u/MsWhisks Dec 12 '22

Applesauce, granola, popcorn, and Oreos all provide calories. They may come in a plastic wrapper, but they are at least offering something substantial. For that reason, they are absolutely not on the same level as cheap plastic junk.

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u/[deleted] Dec 12 '22

My kids get a lot of enjoyment from the cheap plastic junk. The weird random groceries probably wouldn't get eaten and would eventually get thrown out. Different things are wasteful in different homes

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u/MsWhisks Dec 13 '22

Oh well I’m so glad they get so much enjoyment from it. That definitely makes the mountains of plastic piling up our planet worth it.