laundrycrisis Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I am looking for recommendations for books I can read to/with our almost 8 yo. He is having an "emotional packrat" issue. He is sentimentally attached to all sorts of objects, and lately dissolves into tears when I get rid of even the simplest things - old toothbrushes, broken household things, outgrown clothes, etc. Our house is overly full of kid things we would like to send on, but purging is terribly hard on him. I have tried explaining that we need to get rid of things we don't use anymore to make room for new things we will use, and that when we have so much stuff, it's hard to even find the things you might enjoy using. I have gotten rid of some of the stuff anyway, and dealt with the tears. But I hate this being so hard on him. It makes it hard on me too. I think if I could find some stories about kids letting old things go, that might help. BUT they need to be things there is no emotional attachment to. A tear-jerker about a cherished lovey being given away is the opposite of what I am looking for. I woud like to reduce the idea of emotional attachment to things.... Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinchick Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 I only know about this book: Prudy's Problem and How She Solved It. Not sure if it's completely applicable to your DS's situation. Prudy is a total packrat and claims that everything is a collection, from gum wrappers to rubber bands. Her room gets so overcrowded that it literally explodes. The downside to the story is the "solution" which was to rebuild the house as a museum for her many collections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Not a book, just an idea... I will be watching this thread for book ideas! My DS has emotional attachment to old toys also, and we've found that it helps to use the toy library system. We packed up the toys he wasn't using, put them in bins labeled "toy library" and he knows he can check them out again at will (trading in a different toy that he has out currently, I'm sure you're familiar with the system). The up side to this has been that he sees that there truly are toys he doesn't play with any more. If a toy has been languishing in the library for years, it's easier to pass it along. I also find he's motivated by the idea of a garage sale. DH and I are not garage sale people though, so we've offered him small amounts of cash for old toys. It's not as appealing as a garage sale, but it is a bit tempting. Hoping for some book leads. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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