5 year olds reaction to present, what do you think?

[Icantrememebrtheartist]

My DD has been so excited about Christmas, she’s 5.

She wrote her wish list for Santa about a month ago and we bought several things she wanted plus some surprises that we thought she would like.

She opened her presents and told us she didn’t get anything she wanted and hates all her presents.

At school they did an activity called ‘what’s in Santa’s sack?’ and they were given pages of toys to cut out and stick (think Argos/Smyths catalogue) since then she told us she knew what she was getting for Christmas because she did her list at school! 3 pages of toys for that activity!! There was a bike, karaoke machine, gadgets, expensive LOL camper van, barbie stuff etc, about £600 worth of toys!! Obviously we explained that wasn’t her list but she insisted it was so we explained she wouldn’t get all that stuff.

She wanted an arts and crafts set, she got one, but apparently it wasn’t as big as the one she wanted, she wanted make up (we bought a little age appropriate set) it wasn’t as good as the one she wanted,

I’m so shocked at how ungrateful she’s been I feel really upset. I’m upset she’s so disappointed. And really annoyed at the bloody school activity.

Is this behaviour/attitude normal at 5?

@thehairyhog

Completely normal 5yo behaviour. Very sad that so many want to punish children for having a developmentally normal response to a cultural thing they never asked for. As someone else said, very old-fashioned thinking.

This. ^ So many people seem to think small children are just manipulative mini-adults who need to be punished, shamed and threatened until they behave 'acceptably'.

Look. Kids are born with no filter. They learn this stuff by being shown, kindly, how to behave. Sometimes they will say things that you may not like. This is because they are trying to articulate their feelings, and they don't have the vocabulary or self awareness to get it quite right. Don't spend weeks hyping them up and then shame them because they aren't immediately slavishly grateful, because you will fuck them up.

I should clarify that my above post wasn't directed at OP!

The activity in school sounds awful and I've never heard of it being done - what's wrong with just asking children to draw a picture of what they want? My DS is in reception too.

OP I would've been really upset too, my DS is 5 (today!) and he is really dismissive of certain presents he tends to get from relatives eg clothes, just chucks them to the side without looking and that makes me cringe enough. If he'd acted the way your DD did I would've been so upset and would've been really cross with him. He acted a bit like that on his birthday last year at 4 when he got something he wasn't fussed on, and I was mortified (and in fairness he was only just turned 4 and has the unfortunate birthday of Boxing Day).

I don't think it's necessarily not normal as my DS can act like such a spoiled brat sometimes. But I don't blame you for being so upset