How much to spend on class mates' birthday gifts?

[strumpetblowingatrumpet]

Today, my 7yo DS has come home from and told me that one of his good friends has been saying that DS takes terrible and 'stingey' presents to birthday parties. Obviously I'm very embarrassed and don't want my DS to be thought of as being stingey. For the life of me I can't remember what I got this particular child for his birthday back in January but I think it was something lego related. He also said that a gift that I bought on behalf of DS for another chid in the class was terrible, however If I'm unsure, I will text the parent to ask what sort of thing the child might like, and I had done this on that occasion so I don't feel too bad about that. I usually also include a little bag of sweeties in the gift bag as a treat.

I typically would spend between £7-10 on a gift for class mates. Is this too tight?

Thanks.

You're doing just fine.

Other child is a brat! Potentially someone preferred your present and they have got jealous!

Tell DS how everyone has different tastes and hobbies so maybe the child who got the lego loved it and a friend who saw it but doesn't like lego thought that's a rubbish present.

Keep.on doing what you are doing!

Yup, other chat is a brat. Ignore and spend what you can afford.

£7/£10 is more than enough, imo.

Have you any idea what presents other children are buying?

Well for ds birthday he got some Lego bits and a little nerf gun that kind of thing from his class mates.

I'd usually spend up to £10 on a school friend

A best friend I'd spend £15

£7 is normal in my experience.

£7-10 for a primary child sounds fine to me.

Cheeky little sod! I spend a fiver and so does nearly everyone else I know. I may spend more for a really good friend.

I wonder if the kids involved could actually remember what they got from your ds. They might just be saying it out of spite.

I always did £10

I’d be telling my DC that the other child has clearly never been taught that it’s the thought that counts not how much is spent, and that birthday gifts are nice to receive but should never be judged! Cheeky git.

Basically, tell your DC it’s nothing to worry about. £7-10 on a 7 year old class mate is FINE. Usually my DC choose from what’s available in my present stash of things I’ve got a bargain on. We’d only specifically go out shopping for a close friend or someone we knew or if it was a very small party. At 7 my DC got invited to lots of larger parties, so genetic gifts were the order of the day.

Yes there are lots of parties so I can't really afford to spend much more than I do. I have asked ds what he thought about what his friend said and ds said it hurt his feelings because he knew that I had gone out specially to choose a gift that I thought the child would like. We discussed that it's not kind behaviour to be ungrateful for gifts.