Help! Moral dilema ...

Doug E · 07-10-2002, 05:56 PM

OK guys, this is not a technical issue but it does relate to Porsche's ...

my son's 3 year birthday is coming up next week and I have been accumulating Hot Wheels/Matchbox cars for him over the past year. Well, not be able to control myself one thing lead to another and now I have almost 200 of them sitting in a box waiting to be given to him.

In looking through them last night I found that there are about 20 911's mixed in amongst them. My dilema is this: should I pull the Porsche's out and add them to my Porsche memobilia collection or should I go ahead and give them to him so I can watch him play with his own 911's?

I feel quilty about saying this, but right now I am leaning towards adding them to my memorbilia collection since he will still have plenty of other cars to play with and one day the entire memorbilia collection will be his anyway (albeit not for a long time!).

Thoughts and/or opinions?

Bill Douglas · 07-10-2002, 06:00 PM

Better give him some of them or he will figure you you pinched the best ones and never trust you again.

Jim Richards · 07-10-2002, 06:02 PM

Doug,

Give him some each year for the next few years. He'll get more enjoyment out of them and anticipate growing his collection. And it wouldn't hurt anything if a few (but not all) of the 911's made it into "dad's collection."

MBAtarga · 07-10-2002, 06:05 PM

Give him at least a couple of the 911s. But of course, stress that they are very "special" unlike the other sports cars in the group - corvettes, mustangs, etc. And don't forget - remind him the importance of regular 3k mile oil changes and 15k valve adjustments.

88911coupe · 07-10-2002, 06:10 PM

I agree on making the 911's for special occasions.

Jeff · 07-10-2002, 06:18 PM

Doug

My daughter loves playing with her Porsches. It helps her identify the different types.

Plus you wouldn't want your son growing up wanting a Camero, would you?

andrew15 · 06:35 PM

Boy, that's a tough decision. Remove yourself from this dilemma by sending ME the Porsche Hot Wheels!

Actually, I'd give the cars to your son. I still remember the Hot Wheels I played with as a child and how there was the odd Porsche that I thought was cool. How better to get him started with the fine German stuff instead of the loud buzzy riced out stuff??

Andrew M

78silversc · 07-10-2002, 06:41 PM

My answer to this question is in this story about my Mom and her grandchild (my daughter...now 12)

My daughter, (young at the time...around 3 or 4 ) was playing with my mother's beloved "Bell Collection" (Yes my mom collects bells, ceramic, metal, glass etc...she has many and some are very expensive) When I saw and heard my daughter picking up these bells, shaking them and laughing, I ran over and started to admonish her for not being careful. My mother, who had been quietly watching her from a nearby chair, whispered to me, "shhh... it's ok...let her play with them..." I said "But Mom, what if she breaks one...an expensive one?"

Well... my Mom said "If she breaks an expensive one, we'll sit and glue it back together....then, everytime I see that bell with the repaired crack in it, I will be reminded of this moment that I was able to see her learning and laughing and playing, then that bell will not be expensive...it will be precious."

What could I say?

OK..that is my "Chicken Soup for the Porsche Soul" story for the day.

I say....GIVE the cars to him..let him play with them and have a grand old time....get down on the floor and put a few scratches in 'em yourself... then when he gives them to his son, he can remember how they got in such bad shape and will have a few stories to tell.

(how come I think I gonna get flamed for this one?)

Doug E · 06:52 PM

Thanks for the great responses guys - keep 'em coming!

In my heart I know I should give them to him and let him play and enjoy them but I also think it would be cool one day for him to acquire some mint cars that have never been touched.

Heck, there's the answer: I'll keep half and give him half!

Now I just need to pick out the ones to set aside ...

BTW, I won't be giving him all 200 at once. I'll probably do 25 or 30 now and then start feeding them to him a few every couple of weeks or so. At this point I have stopped buying them now that I realize how many there are!

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Whatever you do, DON'T give them all to him at once. A 3-year old can't tell the different between 5 and 200...it's all good. Odds are they'll be more interested in the packing material.

Give about 10 or 20 of them. Then in a few months on a rainy day, break about another 5. Repeat as necessary.

As for which cars to give, you've GOT to give him at least one of the 911s. It is a moral imperative.

Porsche911NYC · Porsche911NYC's Garage

Save the Porsches for his 5th birthday; he'll still be playing with them and may appreciate them a little more.

john_colasante · 07-10-2002, 07:24 PM

Give him the '74-'77 ones.

ccandgc · ccandgc's Garage

If you have doubles give him the doubles....then you have your nice ones, and the rest he can do with as he pleases.
Ive found this works w/my kids.
\
ChadC
71 911S Targa

surflvr911sc · surflvr911sc's Garage

I knew the answer w/o a doubt untill Jeff said this:

Quote:

Plus you wouldn't want your son growing up wanting a Camero, would you?

I think whatever you give him at 3 will be lost or destroyed by 4. But like Jeff said, Better give him at least a couple, just in case.

NZ9Iwon · 07-10-2002, 07:55 PM

Give him the cars, but sure, not all at once! Ive got a 2.5 yr old boy and a 5 yr old girl, and both know the difference between "mum's car" and Dad's car"......it'll be great to get him involved at an early age!

Adam · Adam's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by John_Colasante:
Give him the '74-'77 ones

expat · 07-10-2002, 10:08 PM

I have a small collection of 15 cars (all Porsche) Blue Tacked onto the top of my computer screen. My son 5 years has his collection too (Porsche and others) but plays with them on his Hot Wheels track and elsewhere in the house and garden - sometimes even in the bath!

One day he asks me why I don't play with the cars on top of the computer. I explain I really like them and want them to last. Off he toddles.

Comes back two days later with most all of his Porsche cars and asks if he can blue tack them onto his shelf in his room. (he obviosuly decided the Porsches were worth keeping). He kept two Porsche cars to play with on the track because....... 'If Max (His 5 year old buddy) comes around he can see how good Porsche's are on the track.'

That's my boy!!

And while we're on the topic of kids, my daughter (10 years old going on 18!!!) is quite firm that my '87 Cab is her's when she's old enough to drive. I'm in support of this because that means I'll need another, so I can start choosing all over again. Hmmmm Early or maybe a 993...decisions decisions!!

Gotta love kids!

Cheers
Mark

DonDavis · DonDavis's Garage

nostatic, Loved the "moral imperative" reference. I have a 2.75 yr old son that loves "daddy's" car so I can relate. BTW, any recent looks? You know you're ready!

I like the idea of a car or few at special times. That will definitely mean/remind a lot later.

911jon · 07-11-2002, 05:41 AM

My twins are 3.5 and adore my Porsche. They have trouble with the word and just call it "Daddy's sports car" - but they will soon learn! They have had many car toys for some time now, but as soon as I bought my 911 (just after their third birthday) they both noticed that a surprising number of their toys were the same shape..... now they can spot 911's on the street...

It's a disease, and I think I've infected my sons!

We'll call it a positive addiction, so I suggest you do the same. I agree with "don't give them all at once". Your little boy will gain more satisfaction in the long run if you feed them in. And give him all of them - toys are for children! The real cars are our big boys (and girls) toys. See "Toy Story" for details on why toys should not stay "mint in the box"!

Oh and by the way, he'll probably let you play too if you ask politely. Have fun!

PDACPA · PDACPA's Garage

What are you waiting for??? My son has been playing with Matchboxes since he was much younger (more monitoring when he was going through the putting things i n your mouth stage).

He has about 3 identical red 911's (which are identified as Daddys car) and he has ones that match all the family members cars. He could identify, before he could talk, everyone in the families car. Where is Uncle so and so's car....and he could find the car. Not sure it qualifies as early education, but I was impressed.

The funny thing is, he can pick out any 911 while riding in the car seat and at times sees them before I do.

Grandma also had the foresight to save my old (and very worn and beat up) hot wheels and mathboxes and he gets to play with them when he is visiting her (one rule, those cars stay at her house).