What's the most extravagant indulgence you buy for your DCs?

[peaceanddove]

Inspired by another thread over on AIBU, but just wondered what crazily indulgent treats have you bought your children?

Ever since she started wearing make up I've always bought Chanel foundation for DD because I was determined she wasn't going to have that dreadful orangey-chalk face beloved of so many teenage girls.

@Ragwort

We invest a decent amount of money for our DS's pension and Help to Buy ISA. He is 20 now.

He is very sensible financially and budgets to buy his own clothes, sports stuff etc. from part time earnings and Uni maintenance loan. Always had charity shop stuff growing up and now he buys and sells on line.

The one treat I indulge in buying for him is the M & S chocolate cereal .

Very wise (and sweet) parents @Ragwort

Mine always saved to buy her own expensive make up. I think she has a better collection than I do! Like Ragwort, we've saved and invested money and now she's nearly 18 I was quite shocked by the amount in her name and am wondering whether to move it so she can't access it all at once. She is quite sensible but you never know! Trainers aside, the most we've spent is on holiday camps. She's been all over the place doing stuff from cooking, to IT to horse riding. She started the training last year to become a camp leader herself but covid has got in the way. As she speaks 3 languages, her plan was to work the long summer Uni holidays with Eurocamp or similar on the animation team.

Mine are still tiny but like many others books, books and more books. @riotlady what subscription do you have?

I’ve also bought my 3 year old 2 Islabikes now - a balance bike and pedal bike - but plan to hand those down to the baby and then sell on.

@Nameregretter it’s from the Teatime Bookshop, 6 picture books for £10. Really good value, we’ve enjoyed it so far

Duvet covers & underwear!

I remember loving my one new duvet cover as a child, it was old ones or sheets & blankets otherwise.

I forgot my PE kit in primary school once & had to do it pants & vest & remember being relieved I had decent pants on. Most of them were really old & naff!

My parents went through some very tricky years money wise so obviously paying bills etc took priority & we were well loved & cared for so I can't complain. I didn't really think about it until DH mentioned that I was a bit obsessed about bedding & underwear for our DC.

Other things now are extra curricular activities like music lessons, dance, swimming etc & the 'good' kit that goes with them.

I also spend ages researching book series for my DS who loves to read but only really enjoys a series, the longer the better. His interests change but he's loved adventure & mythology & is now into dragons. I usually buy used books though from ebay or Facebook (I really miss charity shops!)

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion

"Packs" on their xbox/PlayStation. Absolute waste of money, and no matter how many you buy there is always something else they want a couple of days later, but I'm a complete pushover (sometimes just say yes to shut them up).

This is me aswell. They just have to have the pack that makes "me play a million times better, I swear". Don't even get me started on Fortnite its like having a virtual child running round that NEEEEDS a new outfit every couple of weeks (at £20 Vfucks a go😦). I swear it has more clothes than me.

My children have all got expensive hobbies. (Well, my DD's hobby is now her profession but it was expensive when she was younger.) I don't mind spending on hobbies though - I'm glad they've got things that they're passionate about. But they don't have much in terms of electronics and don't get designer clothes, expensive trainers etc which a lot of their friends seem to have. I guess I am quite indulgent in some respects but in others I'm positively stingy. Everyone places different values on things of course.

On DSD when she was dancing, an absolute fortune in dance tights and leotards that didn't make her itchy, the fecking things are only stocked in one shop in Dublin and barely available online, hence the day she informed her father of a dance exam on Saturday at Friday lunchtime and I ended up begging them to hold a pair and wait for me, legged it across the city from work and then had to run for the train! (She was sixteen! That was when we got the studio to start sending us the schedule instead of expecting her to tell us). These days, fancy shampoo and conditioner.

DS, his Kiwi Company Panda crate subscription, beautiful new developmentally appropriate toys, book and activity pack every two months. Started it in lockdown as a sanity preserver, but he's loving them so we'll probably keep going.

His dad buys him Adidas trainers, too, the giant nerd that he is.

My almost 14yr old has asd and is obsessed with three subjects. Trains, he has so many hornby trains. Doctor who again he has everything from pretty much all dvds that have ever come out to any memorabilia. The biggest one is butlins (yes the holiday park). This is very outing because I doubt there is another teen his age who knows so much about the place. We go there all the bloody time, we could go to disney Florida every year on the amount we spend on butlins breaks. Luckily the younger children love it and I'm so fond of the place now even if every staff member knows us .
My daughter who is 10 collects mlp and they are so expensive for the g1 and 2. Also anything with the g1 design on I just buy instinctively. My youngest has over 1000 wwe figures. I also spend a lot on designer clothes and shoes for them, my daughter has started collecting irregular choice shoes. But I justify it because growing up I had it shit. Just bloody awful and I was the scabby kid with nobody or anything.

@peaceanddove

Inspired by another thread over on AIBU, but just wondered what crazily indulgent treats have you bought your children?

Ever since she started wearing make up I've always bought Chanel foundation for DD because I was determined she wasn't going to have that dreadful orangey-chalk face beloved of so many teenage girls.

You do know that the only reason they look orange is because they're wearing the wrong shade, right? You can buy foundation for a couple of quid and it'll still look good if it matches.

Monsoon winter coats and party shoes.

Smoked salmon bagels for breakfast before school. DH rolls his eyes but its brain food!! Not a massive extravagance but not something we would have had as children.

Pre-Covid it was family passes to a local zoo. Trampolining and gymnastics as extra curricular activities, and restaurants. Now it's just secondhand books and takeaways.

May daughter is 10 and starting to play around with makeup (only allowed at home, not for going out). I can see myself spoiling her with nice makeup when she is old enough to wear it out. Just so she doesn't look ridiculous. I also indulge in nice coats and shoes. And books whenever they ask for something specific.

I feel like a right miser, I thought the yearly Amazon kids subscription and Amazon music for DS echo dot was extravagant .
That and decent bikes and scooters which we buy expensive versions of in my opinion, but they last for years and can be passed down or sold on for a fair bit.

I buy mine branded cereal if we are having a good month money wise.

The pony.

And horse riding holidays. But I love those too. It's lucky (not luck really) that she shares my passion.

I used to buy DD1 goats cheese and quince jelly as she loved both. First terms at uni over, home for Christmas and I asked if she wanted some added to shopping list. Scandalised reply ‘ Mother, do you know how much they cost?’ Umm, yes, I’ve been buying them for you for years so I’ve a pretty good idea.

Similar when her sister came home after first term at uni and I asked how come she was eating porridge instead of weetabix ‘Mother, do you know how much Weetabix costs compared to porridge?’

Ha 😀

Books.
In that I've trained myself to see them a necessity the same way socks or shoes are.
I read a study that said children who have lots of books in the home are more likely to be intelligent professional adults and I've sort of run with it.
I don't want her to ever experience poverty the way I did when I was a young mum so setting her up to be academic has been a big driving force.

Electric guitars for my DS because he is so good at playing them.

Just bought him a set of drums as well because he is so musical and plays every day without being asked.

I put a napkin in my DD's lunchbox everyday rather than a piece of kitchen towel.

Buy her 2 expensive coats every year even if last years ones still fit (Spanish branded)

Lelli Kelly for school

Raspberries, ds aged 7 is a fussy eater but Raspberries are something he likes and are healthy. I will always buy them books, when they want them.

LindaEllen yes, but it won't look anywhere near as good as Chanel foundation.

Blimey there's some money on here!

We're not high earners so pretty frugal generally, but I buy the DDs John Lewis and M&S leggings. It's not hugely indulgent for them, but after years of the cheap H&M leggings I'm investing in better quality now they've almost stopped climbing trees and ripping holes in them!

Yesterday's indulgence was getting some Doritos in for DD1 (11) and some boiled sweets for DD2 (10)- she wanted to make lollies. DD2s main interest seem to be in cooking these days, DD1 is interested in archaeology and nature. Books - preferably second hand - are always a winner.