They are no longer just your parents, now they are your baby’s grandparents, and with any luck they are going to have a relationship and connection completely separate to you. Gorgeous! But this relationship can often come with a whole lot of stuff. Stuff has to live in your house. Stuff that might not serve much purpose. Stuff that you might give you that icky feeling about excessive baby waste.

When your kid is old enough to ask Grandma and Grandad for things, you’ll have to have a little talk about what gets through, but while they’re small, you get to be the gatekeeper. Rather than collecting things you don’t want, getting frustrated, and frankly, letting your loved ones waste their money, here are five happy solutions for grandparents who want to give and give.

Check the registry

You and your baby don’t need a lot, but you do need some things. Get in the habit of making a registry for the big events: baby shower, first birthday, religious events etc. It avoids excess, double ups, and also the extra waste that comes with multiple deliveries. A registry with The Memo also comes with thankyou cards for you to send to your gifters, and good feels because we donate five percent of the proceeds to St Kilda Mums.

Ask for big ticket items

Preparing for a newborn includes purchasing some expensive gear — pram, carrier, monitor, cot. For most, these are the essentials, and the essentials are a great thing to suggest grandparents put-in for. They are the things that will make you feel very lucky to have them.

Spoil them with time

No matter what you give them, your child will always tire of a toy. You know what they don’t tire of? Your attention. From the first few weeks, when they can bring you dinner and nurse them for an hour, to when they are a bit bigger and relish having someone to play with and talk to, time builds connection, and it’s more valuable than any thing. Plus, when it’s planned right, parents get to enjoy some baby-free time too! When you really don’t need any more stuff, suggest they book in some quality time instead.

Invest in their education

If you’re interested, your kid can start sensory, music or swim classes can all start from as young as three months old! All these classes are great for their development and your parenting social life. But again, they can be expensive. Rather than a physical gift, ask the grandparents to fund your baby’s next semester of swim school.

Bank it

A good old fashioned piggy bank deposit (physical or digital) is always, always a great gift. Especially during these years when your kid really does want for nothing. If you want to be smart about it, open a high interest-earning savings account your kid’s name and send on the dets. This is what your baby will really treasure in 10 or 15 or 20 years (whenever you decide to give them access to it).