Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To spend DD's birthday money on bedroom stuff?

58 replies

ShadeofViolet · 10/09/2010 19:09

DD is 2 next month and my dad has given her £150 birthday money.

We are currently extending her bedroom as it is tiny. When its done I was going to buy Peppa Pig curtains, bedding etc as we are buying her a bed. I thought that it would be good to use this money.

My Mum (Divorced from my Dad) says thats awful and that I should spend it on something she should get enjoyment out of, like toys. She has plenty and is getting alot of HappyLand for her birthday and Christmas.

AIBU?

OP posts:
diddl · 10/09/2010 19:11

It is a lot of money, but I wouldn´t make her pay to furnish her own room tbh.

Rosa · 10/09/2010 19:12

Its up to you but if it was me I would spend a small amount on a toy or something (from her grandad) even for the room and then put the rest in a savings account for her for when she is older. At 2 she is hardly likely to appreciate something expsnsive anyway.

bigchris · 10/09/2010 19:12

Yanbu

she'll love peppa pig duvet etc

I'd definietly use some of the money for that

TotorosOcarina · 10/09/2010 19:14

If you can't afford to furnish it otherwise then YANBU, but if you are only spending it because its there then you should save it for her.

I have spent my kids 'spends' from relatives but only when they needed new shoes or other essentials.

SandStorm · 10/09/2010 19:16

I agree with Rosa - buy her something she'll enjoy now and put the rest away for when she's older. Your dad gave it as a present for DD, not for you to spend on decorating. I don't consider decorating to be a present, it's a necessity.

diddl · 10/09/2010 19:16

Oh yes, I was thinking buy something as a present from granddad (not furnishings) & put the rest in an account for her.

Original poster
ShadeofViolet · 10/09/2010 19:18

BTW - DF gives this money every birthday and Christmas, always the same amount.

OP posts:
meltedchocolate · 10/09/2010 19:19

If you can't afford to decorate her room nicely then I think it is a present. One which she will love. Do use a tiny amount of it for a toy present though :)

StewieGriffinsMom · 10/09/2010 19:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

diddl · 10/09/2010 19:22

Do you thiink she would mind if Grandad bought her curtains/bedding, then?

DilysPrice · 10/09/2010 19:27

It's quite a lot to spend on decorating that she'll grow out of quickly, but I don't think it's unreasonable per se - PILs gave DD a Barbie lampshade (and toys) one birthday, and I bought her a midsleeper for Christmas - if it makes her happy then it's a suitable present.

teafortwo · 10/09/2010 19:28

I wouldn't think twice about it - I think that new curtains and bedding are really lovely presents!

Mniemmniem · 10/09/2010 19:30

I think spend 50 on her room, 20 on a toy and stick the rest in her savings :)

lal123 · 10/09/2010 19:31

I think its a perfectly reasonable way to spend the money - there are only so many toys a 2 year old can play with

loopyloops · 10/09/2010 19:32

Why don't you ask your dad?

lecce · 10/09/2010 19:35

I think it's a great idea, if she is anything like my ds1 she will be hugely excited to have character bedding. It's far better than endless toys, I think there's a limit to how many new toys they can appreciate at any one time.

I think it's unfair to say you're spending her money on decorating. If you were going to get a, for example, Cath Kidson set that was more your taste than hers then that wbu, but you are not.

I agree that with that amount of money I would save some, though if she gets that from him every xmas and b'day that's not so important.

yanbu.

thatsnotmymonster · 10/09/2010 19:35

YANBU. At 2 they have very little idea about presents etc anyway. For those that say 'furnishngs/decorating' are a necessity...I disagree!! If you don't have much money it is very hard to buy nice furnishings. I have only just managed to buy cheap matching curtains and duvets for my dc's room and they are 5, 4 and 2. I would still love to buy nice lampshades and a few other nic little touches but I can't afford it. If he gives that amount every birthday/Christmas I would think about saving £50 and/or maybe take her for a day out/trip out somwhere and use the rest for furnishings/clothes/shoes etc.

thisisyesterday · 10/09/2010 19:36

i wouldn't personally. she'll have grown out of it in a couple of years anyway

i would put it in a savings account

AmazingBouncingFerret · 10/09/2010 19:39

YANBU, if you tell her that her Grandad bought the peppa pig stuff she'll be just as pleased. At 2 years old she's not going to wonder why her Grandad hasnt bought her a toy to play with. Take lots of photos of her playing in her lovely new room and when she is older you can remind her that her Grandad treated her to the lovely things.

prozacfairy · 10/09/2010 19:43

See nothing wrong with this. Maybe you could take her shopping and let her choose the things herself? I did this when DD got her big girl bed. She chose her bedding and a few other things to make her room a big girl room.

YANBU as long as you make it clear to her it is a present from Grandad. If she loves Peppa Pig as much as most little girls her age she'll be thrilled!

StarExpat · 10/09/2010 19:54

She's 2!!! my ds is turning 2 next month and I'd probably put money in savings but if you have plenty and this will help with furnishing her room, go ahead. She isn't going to know or remember. If you're really thinking she will, say look new pepper pig curtains - from grandpa! She'll love them.
She's 2!
I saw a tunnel and tent set at the charity shop in window today and I'm thinking about wrapping that up for ds. We don't have a lot of extra money at the moment, I know he'll enjoy it and who really cares if it's been used before? I will thoroughly clean it.
I suppose some would go Shock at that.

teafortwo · 10/09/2010 19:54

Thinking about it... tbh since thisisyesterday has mentioned it... well... I personally wouldn't go for Peppa Pig either for the same reasons...but would deffo get curtains, covers etc just less age specific ones.

StarExpat · 10/09/2010 19:56

Lol peppa not pepper! :)

PinkElephant73 · 10/09/2010 20:17

YANBU. None of your Mum's business. my ILs have bought DSs loads of expensive plastic carp which has gathered dust over the years, sorry of course I mean "toys they would get enjoyment out of".

I dont think that was any better value for money than spending it on character bedlinen. its a great way to give them a themed bedroom which can be quickly changed when they grow out of it.

Suggest you open a savings acc. for her and pay some of the money into that. wish we had got ILs to do that instead of frittering money away.

NonnoMum · 10/09/2010 20:23

How lovely. She'll love her new room. And she'll probably get more pleasure out of a lovely room than another plastic toy that gets trapped at the bottom of the toybox.

Swipe left for the next trending thread