Baby Gift List – New Parents Wish List
Like all new parents, I have experienced the challenges that come from the moment the announcement is made that a new baby is on the way. There is much to anticipate and many resources available to help us prepare for the big day. Most “new parent” books and guides are filled with supply lists, recommended daily schedules, and benchmarks to measure your baby’s growth and development. This kind of information can be invaluable, but I’ve also learned that a good sense of humor, wit, and stamina are the intangible tools needed for a happy and sane home. In other words, this event should be much more fun than stressful!
One of the first fun activities most new parents engage in is entering their name and “wish list” into a baby gift registry at a specialty store like Babies R Us or a large-scale department store like Babies R Us. Target. As you walk through the store, manning a store-provided handheld scanner to create your list, it’s easy to focus and get distracted by the cute, the soft, and the adorable. However, in doing so, it is possible to lose sight of the usefulness and cost savings that a well thought-out baby registry can provide.
One thing not always considered is listing a few big-ticket items on your wish list. We can often feel embarrassed by doing this or feel like we’re coming across as greedy. Most of the gifts I’ve seen purchased for new parents and babies range from $20 to $50, but many families have a friend or relative looking to express her joy for a loved one at a higher monetary level. Make a list of your favorite high-end crib, bedding, baby furniture, and stroller or car seat without hesitation or embarrassment. In addition, this also presents the opportunity for multiple families to pool their gift resources and buy together a gift more expensive than they could ever afford on their own. Such a gift not only pleases the parents and the givers, but is often of a high enough quality to be passed on and used by future babies as well.
