What age should kids start getting involved with present buying?

[bananallamaz]

Just that really, at what age(s) do you think children/teenagers should be starting to get involved and think for themselves about what presents and cards they want to give to parents/relatives?

(I don't mean buying them with their own money or anything but just like 'I've seen X and thought dad might like for his birthday' or 'I want to get X for sisters Christmas present' type thing)

I try to get DS age ten to think about this although I give him a present budget and tend to take him shopping for it.

We have pretty much always done it, well since they could talk and have an opinion, so 4 upwards. DD2 is almost 7 and she was very specific this year in what she thought people should have.

We started when ds was 10 - first of all with a carefully marked up Boots christmas gift guide and the other parent, to this christmas when he was 12 when he got some extra money to his usual monthly allowance and had to work out the budget and pretty much did it himself.
He needs to go and buy DHs birthday present tomorrow which comes out of his money and I will help him if necessary but he'll be mostly on his own

Ive been doing this with my children for a few years. Since they were 4. They have chose each other a christmas present.

This xmas they were 8 and 7 and out a lot of thought into each others xmas presents for about three months beforehand!

DD1 is 12 (almost 13) and this year she went shopping with her friends and some money (and a budget) and got us all something.

She picked well.

We’ve always done it, it’s sometimes random but it’s always done from the right place.

Such young ages! Wasn't expecting that if I'm honest.

I ask the question because 25 and 12 year old have never tried to come up with their own ideas for DH even after being asked to. I always end up buying stuff and asking them to choose who gives what. They will choose own cards but I have to take them as otherwise they'd forget.

Its DH's birthday mid Feb. Should I be telling them now to come up with ideas? It sort of annoys me having to do all the thinking because DH isn't hard to buy for and is the type to appreciates all gifts no matter how small if he know thought went into it. It just seems lazy they don't even try, makes me half not want to buy anything for them to give because they don't put any effort in (which DH has said in the past I should do but I couldn't bring myself to be that mean just out of annoyance).

Sorry that should read 15 not 25 year old haha!

I’ve been getting DSD to choose since she was 6; if I’ve thought of something for her dad then I might suggest that but I’ve often taken her to a shop such as Clinton’s near Father’s Day and she’s chosen what she wants to get. I will admit that it’s resulted in some slightly random gifts but for myself I’d much prefer something chosen by her than DH choosing it

Grandpa was delighted with tomatoes and beer for Father's Day when DD was 3. No pressure if she doesn't know what to suggest, but if she has a vaguely reasonable idea I'm happy to go with it.

user DH would love random presents if he knew that the kids had chosen themselves! Because I end up buying I get stuff I know he wants/likes and it's pretty obvious kids haven't weighed in.

For once I'd like him to have a genuine surprise of opening a present and knowing I had no say in it because the annoying thing is 12 year old has an amazing imagination and thinks of the most random things and that translated into a present would be amazing and funny and just encompass 12 year olds personality and DH would love it (even if it was a rock with a picture of a unicorn drawn on it!)

Mine have also chosen presents for us/ each other from a very early age (3/4). Yes, we might get some random presents but they mean a lot to us.

We've been doing it since ours were probably about 6 and 8, for DH and me, each other and grandparents, started with sweets in the supermarket, progressed to a poundshop then Tiger, now they go on their own (young teens). So its not at all unreasonable at 12 and 15.

We started when they were 4-8ish - buying gifts for their siblings at Christmas to start with. We set a budget then take them out individually to choose something if possible. They've normally made something for us.

Gifts for birthdays are a bit more patchy! We ask their ideas and if there's time bring them out to choose something each.

I'd give yours a tenner each and send them into town to get on with it!

My dd has always pickes presents for people and ds will too when he's old enough I hope. I don't see the point in giving something to someone from the child if the child hasn't had anything to do with it! Only exception being that dd who is nearly 5 will choose presents for ds but he is only 2 so he can't really choose something yet but it wouldn't be fair for dd not to have something from him so we chose in that case!

I’ve just informed DSs (6 and nearly 3) that we need to spend some time this week choosing what to buy Daddy for his birthday (mid Feb). DS1 says Lego (to be fair, Star Wars Lego goes down well) so we’ll probably pick a set online.

Apparently they picked my Xmas presents. I got a great deal of chocolate and posh bath stuff - they know me well

DD is nearly 3 and she chose my Christmas present just gone. I told my partner two different things I would like from one shop and he took DD out to choose one.

ASqueaking my DDad would have loved tomatoes and beer too, I love that your young children get involved.

I had 3 year old DS sat on my lap this morning while I was looking on amazon and he saw a weird shaped mug he liked so I asked if he wanted to give it to daddy on his birthday and he said yes so that's been bought! (half because DS chose it and half because DH hates getting mugs as presents so it's a running joke that he must get a new mug every year and saves me trying to find a funny one!)

It's decided, I'm going to text them tomorrow (the 12 and 15 year olds are my DSC so not here all the time but didn't think it was relevant to the question) and tell them to get there thinking caps on! I don't think I can give them money and tell them to go out because they just wouldn't go, 15 year old maybe would but not with 12 year old alone (can be difficult in crowded places so 15 yo wouldn't want to be responsible for the both of them) and I can't take them anywhere decent as I don't drive so I tend to say 'if you see anything went your out and about let me know and I'll go online or ask your mum to buy and I'll transfer money over before she pays.

Since about 5. They can be a rather eclectic mix of things, but there is logic (of sorts) in what they choose.

Yes I think I should have started much earlier :) I love kids' random present ideas and we spent Christmas with SIL and her family and I loved seeing the things they got each other and the general hilarity and thoughtfulness that had gone into each choice. DH and I are rubbish at presents in general :o so I don't think we've done a very good job of teaching DS1. My main issue is that I run out of time and then panic and have to get any old thing.

My mum took my daughter (6) shopping to find a present for me and dh for last Xmas. She took her own money and spent no more than £5 on each of us. DD loved the whole process, from the bus journey to town, choosing, wrapping and making personalised labels. Dd chose v good presents 😍

I ask mine if they have an idea, but if they say no, I will suggest something. 7 and 9.
Done it like this since forever.

My 3yo DS chooses presents for his friends from a price appropriate selection. He also gives suggestions as to what me or DH might like. They aren't always appropriate but it gets I'm involved and in to the giving mindset.