DD's 7th birthday - just one (expensive) present

[Florencenotflo]

I'd like opinions please. Dd is 7 in a couple of weeks. We've bought her a kindle fire, something she's wanted for a while. I got it in the Black Friday sales so while it was cheaper, it was over £100. She's also having a party.

I think that's enough. We've just had Christmas, she'll have presents from all of our family and friends. DH thinks just having one present to open from us will mean she's disappointed. I think at 7 she's more than old enough to start understanding that there is not an endless supply of money.

We would usually get her a main present and a few smaller things, but still only spend what we have on the kindle. I don't think we should be buying her more stuff just so there is more to open!!

Dd is generally a lovely kid, not demanding or spoilt in the slightest, so I think DH is underestimating her ability to understand.

What would you do?

I would get her a few more bits, one present seems a little unfair. My two December born get similar amounts of presents as their summer born siblings. I also have a very early January birthday and had very few presents as it had just been Christmas and always in Christmas paper, never did it to my summer born brother.

I would say yes, a few more little bits would be good. Particularly as the thing you are getting is a screen and I assume you are going to limit her screen time? So once she's done with her screen time for the day there's no more lovely birthday stuff to distract herself with. "Put the screen away now, let's hsve a look at your new lego/ playmobil/ cars game" is important.

It would literally never have occurred to me that I "ought" to be buying my DC more than one birthday present each, and my eldest is about to turn 18 so I've been birthday present-ing for a while.

I had no idea this was so common.

Does she need headphones and a case for her tablet?

I got DD a bunch of flowers (just a €3 bunch) and she loved that.

@ProtectorExtraordinaryOfTheCantonsOfNim same. Mine are 24 and 20. They are always received one present from us i.e. mum/dad and a small something from sibling also bought by us when they were kids.

Birthdays are not like Christmas

@PuttingDownRoots my in laws have got her those.

She'll have presents from her grandparents and Auntie and uncle on the morning of her birthday as well. Then we're seeing the rest of our family that evening where she will get more.

DH always gets the kids a balloon for their birthdays, so she'll have that too. I'm making her cake.

@ProtectorExtraordinaryOfTheCantonsOfNim and @fortifiedwithtea my family were like this too growing up. DH's seem to do more for birthdays than Christmas in some ways. They go all out for birthdays, which is lovely.

Unless your DD has learning disabilities and can't understand the cost of things I think 7 year olds understand £100 is a big present and would not expect more from parents if having a party too. My children only get £30 for birthday and are happy with that. I could easy afford more but think £30 is enough when they get lots of other gifts from wider family.

Carddies are not expensive, don’t take up much room and are great.

www.carddies.com/content/family-1

Ds birthday is on Sunday so I completely get were you are coming from. I try and think of things for the summer and consider the face he won't be getting more presents until his almost a year older.

So things like
Paddling pool
Swingball
Garden skittles
Sunhats
Beach toys

Anything you think will appeal by age 8 that doesn't appeal now.
Harder jigsaws
More complex books
Some clothes to grow into.

As a Christmas birthday person, "we've just had christmas/it's also christmas" shouldn't come into your reasoning.

Mine are both winter, close to Christmas, babies and I feel no guilt whatsoever in saying they get less for their birthdays as a result. They get one decent present from us, a present from each of half a dozen relatives and potentially presents from party attendees too. On top of a cake, a party and a whole lot of Christmas stuff that is more than enough in one month. They get bought things in the summer and throughout the year anyway, albeit not wrapped. I’m not buying stuff they don’t want and won’t value just for the sake of it, or so they have a “pile” or “things to open”. Personally I’d stick with the kindle.

(Personally I think it’s mean to give kids things they can’t actually use for months, like a paddling pool or summer clothes. Plus I don’t want to have them pestering me to use the things for months. But each to their own.)

They are fab

I thought that too.

But for us Christmas is lots of gifts, birthday is just one. I remember the only birthday I got two presents from my parents. A doll and a watch. I was 7yo, and was very careful at school to only talk about one because two sounded boastful.

If she's getting loads from family and friends then stick with that.l

If you want to make it last longer then give her a set of clues to follow to find it. Dm used to do that and I loved it.

In our house, birthday = 1 gift from each family member (including parents). Christmas = numerous gifts.

There's no right or wrong OP, do what you think's best.

How about a screen cover and a fun cover? Maybe some tablet pens? All repeated to her main present. They are definitely worth getting anyway.

I'd buy her a couple of little things.

7 is the perfect age for cheap, cute presents.