I hate to seem ungrateful but occasionally you receive a present you just do not know what to do with.
A child in year 4 told me she had made something for me. It was after another child had given me a Christmas present and I felt like perhaps she saw that (and saw my grateful reaction) and wanted to give me something also. She presented me with this. As in handed it to me without wrapping. Apparently it is Slime. There is some sort of obsession with slime with the kids at school at the moment. I don't quite get it. I have always disliked slime and things of that ilk from when I was very young. She said she had made it for me and I had to make sure it was kept upright. Because I thought she had given me to me because the other child had, I said to her that it was hers and if she had made it, she should keep it and I didn't expect any kids to give me presents and they shouldn't worry. She said that she didn't want it (which then made me wonder also if she was offloading it?)
Anyway, I graciously accepted it as there wasn't much else to do. CBC spotted it at home the other day and immediately asked what on earth it was. I told him and he told me I had to get rid of it. Number 1, we don't have ornaments of this ilk, number 2, I am not a pink person and 3, well, I really don't like slimy things. Thus, I wanted to acquiese but I genuinely don't know how to dispose of it. Obviously, this is not a charity shop donation situation. What IS in there? How am I going to dispose of it given I don't know how viscous it is, what it is made of? It's got glitter in it which we know is plastically. I do not want to just throw it in the bin as it is as that is not eco-friendly- I do want to be able to tip it out somehow. I am the person who will always clean jars and containers out, no matter how horrendously mouldy the contents are- I will not just take the easy option and just chuck something out fully as it is. I feel terribly ungrateful in this situation- I appreciate the gesture, intention and the sentiment but realistically, HELP, what do I do?
Have you ever been in a situation like this?
And WHAT DO I DO?
I wish I could help, but I can't. It looks vaguely like a melted unicorn.
ReplyDeleteOh dear... slime is really disgusting... lol, but just look at it through the eyes of a child. First, I'm so glad that you accepted this gift, even though it has become a source of discomfort for you. I'm putting myself in the place of this little kid and I think I would be a bit hurt if it was refused.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what this kid is going through at home or how she behaves at school. For whatever reason she gave it to you. Maybe it didn't turned out well and in her eyes, you can make things better... Who knows?
I would just wrap the content in a newspaper and dispose of it in the trash. It's just a small container and it will not make a big difference to Mother Earth... Stop feeling guilty. It looks pretty gross. I wonder what kind of germs are growing in there.
That's my humble opinion.
Hugs, Julia
The main ingredients for DIY slime are usually pva glue, and saline contact lens solution. Children add shampoo, bicarbonate of soda, food colouring and glitter. These are all relatively "safe" to handle (just rather gross) Don't flush it down the loo or sink (because of the glue) You should be able to scoop it out relatively cleanly from the jar. Put the slime in a bag in your regular bin, and just rinse and recycle the glass jar. It's hard to accept such gifts graciously. She wanted to show her appreciation of your teaching, and that's great. But it's not something I encourage. I tend to say (at random moments mid year) things like "I would rather have a card a student has made that I can keep, than an object which I cannot fit in my house" I confess to taking some "unwanted" gifts with me when I go away from home, so I can leave them in distant charity shops. I'd hate a pupil to go into a local CS and see the item on a shelf!
ReplyDeletePut it on the curb with a sign saying, "FREE! Magic Slime! Needs a good home."
ReplyDeleteIt will disappear. :)
I think what Angela says is right but I would hide it somewhere for a few months first. Do you have a corner of the garage or a shed where you can stash it? In three or four months you will feel less guilty about disposing of it and in the meantime, should the girl happen to ask about it you will not have to lie as you will still have it.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with Angela …
DeleteAll the best Jan
I agree with Jan F and Angela's answer. If I ever receive something I don't want I always take to a charity shop away from my area where I or the giver is not known.
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxx
From what I've gathered through various Facebook friend's children wanting to make slime the main ingredient is PVA glue. I think washing up liquid is involved somewhere as well? Maybe if you watch a You Tube video on making slime you can work out roughly what's in it and go from there?
ReplyDeleteIf it were me I would probably feel far too guilty to throw it away and end up hanging on to it for months, then finally get rid of it in my big pre-Christmas clean. It took my 6 years to get rid of Wuthering Heights and I HATED that book, but it was a gift from my grandma so I felt bad getting rid of it. We now have it again because she bought it for Jan. *Sigh*
Like the others, I'd suggest scooping out the contents into your bin and cleaning the jar.
ReplyDeleteIf I get given something that I don't like, and know I won't use, or I have no use for, then I show my gratitude at the kind thought, and I pass it on, either to a friend, donate to a tombola, or to a charity shop. The giver will never know, and I'm not left with something that is useless to me. It might sound harsh but someone else might like it, be able to use it etc...
I think the purpose of a gift is to show someone you care, that you've thought of them. If received with gratitude and the intention is appreciated then I don't think the physical thing actually matters. And looking at it from the other point of view, I'd hate to think that something I'd given someone was kept but not really wanted. It seems a waste doesn't it?
xx
I suggest re-gifting it so someone who might like it. The entire concept of slime just sounds weird.
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice thought. lol
ReplyDeleteBriony
x
You did your bit by accepting the gift in the first place! Like the others have said, maybe keep it in the shed for a few months and then dispose of the contents in the bin and wash out the jar for recycling. I like Angela's take on encouraging the kids to make a handmade card rather than a gift. Oh the joys of being a teacher, eh?!! xx
ReplyDeleteUgh, that is so vile! But it's the thought that counts, isn't it? Apart from disposing of the contents and washing out the jar, I'm seconding Sheila's idea of putting it outside with a sign that's it's looking for a new home. Seeing that the slime craze is in full force, I'm sure it will be picked up soon! xxx
ReplyDeleteI would it keep it, but out of sight. I don't know, maybe that's the simplest solution as you're not sure how to recycle it. It is the though that counts, as they say, and it might be nice to have a reminder of that even if you don't like slime. BTW I'm also super annoyed by slime, I dislike it immensely but some kids say it helps them with stress management (funny how they find such an education response at my complains at such a young age, isn't it?).
ReplyDeleteI'd just scrape it into the trash with a spatula as well as i could, wash the jar and recycle it, and be done.
ReplyDelete