Freebies I Wish They'd Stop Giving my Kid

I like free stuff. Doesn't everybody? I'm the kind of person who will jump at any opportunity for a free sample or a buy-one get-one deal. But, really, there are a lot of freebies that I don't want people giving my kids. I know I can always say no, but I don't want to be a killjoy or a bully to my kid. I simply wish that these mostly well-meaning people would simply stop offering these goodies.

Here are just a few of the free things that I wish the world would stop giving to my child.

Candy

I'm not above giving my child an occasional lollipop or piece of chocolate, but that's just the problem. When your child gets a lollipop every day at school, every time you go to the bank, or every time you visit the grocery store, candy stops being special. It's no longer something they associate with special occasions, rewards and rare treats. When you give my kid a lollipop, you cheapen candy's value as a treat and make it an everyday occurrence.

Cheap Plastic Toys

For one thing, I'm not a fan of plastic toys. Between the health effects of BPA and the horrible impact that plastic has on the environment, plastic toys are by far my least favorite part about parenting. These drawbacks can be worthwhile for an awesome toy that my kid will use, but they're not worth it when it's just a small figurine that my kid's never actually going to play with. I also despise the use of these toys to market and sell "kids' meals" and other junk foods to children.

Balloons

Yes, balloons are delightful, and I certainly don't mind my child having one occasionally. But they usually introduce far more stress than joy, especially for preschoolers. The instant my three-year-old gets a balloon, she decides it's the most important thing in the world. And when it inevitably pops, deflates, or floats away, it is the worst tragedy to ever happen to humanity. Not to mention the stress of trying to get a child into a car seat, then make it down the road, with a balloon in tow.

I'll almost never turn down anything free, but I'm annoyed by the fact that I can hardly go anywhere without someone giving my child some freebie that I don't want her to have, that ultimately does far more harm than good. What freebies do people give your kids, and do you want them to stop?