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14 things no one told us about Legos

We expected that there would be many things that no one would tell us about being pregnant, having a baby, or going back to work. But we had no idea there were so many things that no one would tell us about Legos, the simple, educational kids' toy that's stood the test of time. Here's what we wish we'd known. 1. Your kid is probably only going to build a Lego set once. 2. The built Lego spaceship
Legos: What Parents Should Know About These Kids' Toys
Legos: What Parents Should Know About These Kids' ToysBob Thomas/Stockbyte/Getty Images / Today

We expected that there would be many things that no one would tell us about being pregnant, having a baby, or going back to work. But we had no idea there were so many things that no one would tell us about Legos, the simple, educational kids' toy that's stood the test of time. Here's what we wish we'd known. 

1. Your kid is probably only going to build a Lego set once.

2. The built Lego spaceship/Ultra Sonic Raider/Millennium Falcon does not stay in one piece unless you place it on a shelf out of reach of your kids.

3. It hurts more than childbirth when you step on one.

4. They're a boy thing, despite Lego Friends.

5. They migrate to the oddest places—your purse, the fruit bowl, the tub drain, the dryer.

6. Lego sets can cost more than a nice pair of shoes—and be harder to find than Malia Obama's Inauguration J.Crew coat.

7. You will justify this expense because it's an "educational toy."

8. It's awkward to pick them up in handfuls—and it's impossible to get them all off the floor.

9. Despite your best organizing efforts, you'll never keep all the pieces of a set together.

10. Fake Legos don't stay together as well as the real ones. Buyer beware.

11. Hinge Legos are a "thing" and it will piss you off when you can't find one.

12. When your kid is old enough to assemble a Lego set on his own, you will suddenly find that you have an extra 2 hours in your day. #occupiedforhours

13. You will be bummed if it takes less than 2 hours.

14. And you will miss doing them together.

A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.