To spend DD's birthday money on bedroom stuff?

[ShadeofViolet]

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?

My mum bought my DD a duvet set and wall stickers for her birthday. And curtains for Christmas. V popular presents.

I think it's a lovely idea. Why not get her involved in choosing furnishings either shopping or online and mak eher feel like a big girl courteousy of granddad.

This is exactly what i did with my DS! except he was 1, and i was turfing him out of the cot to make way for DD born a month or so later

At the time we didnt have much cash, but we did have loads of STUFF, toys, dvds, clothes. He really didnt need anything else. All the people that bought for DS just gave him the cash, so we spent it on a new bed, duvet, pillow, covers, sheets and spare, curtains, blind, lampshade.

The people giving him the cash wanted it to be spent on him, and it was. I dont want to save the cash they get as gifts. We save for them so they have an equal amount when they 'come of age'. Anything they recieve in the mean time will be used for them, and that will go on whatever they need at that time.

ShadeOfViolet of course you aren't being unreasonable, it's a great present from Grandad :)

She'll get a good couple of years out of them, which is more than enough to 'justify' it.

Instead of buying her a toy, I'd take her out somewhere fun.

If there is any left over I would save it, and any other money that comes her way, to buy some outdoor stuff next summer - if you have a garden :)

StarExpat buying something they love, that you can afford is all that matters - anyone who is about it can fuck off take a long walk on a short pier! Don't be guilted into spending more money that you need to or have!

She's 2. If you spent £150 on toys for a two year old you'd be up to your knees in plastic. It sounds like a great use of the cash.

Do all those saying she'll grow out of it too fast have lovely careful children?

Ask your dad? I think it would be nice.

How about getting her a little rocking-horse?

I think its a great idea - I've often given duvet covers as presents to neices/newphews etc and never thought 'it's not a proper present' - actually I have bougth a hideous football duvet set for my nephew (the team he supports!) for Christmas. I can't beleive anyone would spend £150 on a two year old.

I have been given so much rubbish over the years for my DS - 90% of it has ended up in the charity shops.

Good idea to have a savings account as well if you can afford to put some of the money away.

OP - YANBU

DS1 has just turned 3 and our main present to him consisted of huge horse sticker /mural type things for his bedroom wall....he loves them. No big toy from us, he has plenty already. I wouldnt spend it all though. Can get some of these sets on ebay...then would bank the rest.

Yanbu. I gave dd "a new bedroom" for her 7th Bday. We made a big fuss with a ribbon across the door etc.

Tbh, with £150 you should have enough to buy curtains, bedding, toy and save some.

DD got enormously excited at 2 over the duvet set my mum got her. Children of that age get excited over any thing that's "theirs".

Thanks, chippingin :)
Sorry but is my ds really behind? someone mentioned getting op's dd involved in online shopping. I think ds would point to pics he likes but would have no understanding of those pictures coming put of the computer and into his hands.... Especially as it takes a few days and would not be immediate. Also, he's just happy if I give him anything and it's "his" (like someone else said). Any day. Tbh he wouldn't notice or think anything of it if he received no presents for his birthday... We could wrap up something at the bottom of his toybox and he'd be thrilled - in fact it could just put it in a cardboard box! He's 23 months so maybe next month he'll be more savvy to all of this and "wanting" specific gifts .... I wonder if he's just really behind...
We are also only having a small family day out with some special dessert... No big party

I'm really bothers by this assumption that you are somehow a bad parent or unkind if you don't buy your 2 year old a toy for their birthday. I likely will because of tradition but if I didn't, he would not care would not be scarred and would not even know! I also don't want him growing up ever expecting gifts, but being very happy and grateful when they are received.

Me not by...

My I would maybe use the money for 1 item for the room (eg duvet cover) 1 toy, and save the rest. I think this is reasonable. Spending the whole lot on the room is imo cheeky.

Oh, and I really really would not do the room character themed. Duvet cover at the very very most. We have an 'Incredibles' duvet cover, bought as gift by nanny. No one want to use it now. It's old hat. Peppa Pig might like up dd's world now - I have a 2 yr old dd, believe me, I understand. But a plain pink duvet cover and a cuddly peppa pig should do it, and will last much longer. Believe me, in a year or 2, she won't want a peppa pig anything then you have to spend tons of money replacing all the stuff. Really, she'll grow out of it too quick.

Now one of my ds is older and suddenly interested in having his own money to spend, and I wish we'd saved more of it.

Same as nursery concerns. If you buy a duvet cover/pillowcase, that would be lovely but not excessive in "decorating the room". None of mine have ever had themed curtains, lamps etc. And duvet covers are great presents: our children have had them given as presents and also bought them themselves with birthday money.

Duvet cover, a small present to open, and the rest in an account. At 2 yrs her needs aren't huge, and the money could go towards something like a swing/trampoline/slide etc when she's a little older.

It suprises me how many of you are bothered that a 2 year old will grow out of a duvet cover/curtains in 2 years, the duvets are £8-£12 and the curtains £20 - so what if they grow out of them in 2 years???

Agree with most of other posters, she's 2, she won't even remember, spend £20-30 on present, by peppa pig stuff on ebay, she'll go off it in 6 months anyway, but tell her how lucky she is granddad bought all this lovely peppa pig stuff for her, bang the rest in a savings account.

I'd do it, definitely. Though I'd get, say, pink gingham curtains as curtains are more expensive to replace, and she will grow out of peppa pig. pp bedding though.

Just realised I've x-posted with loads of you!

Again "tell her how lucky she is grandad bought it for her" do just turned 2 year olds really have this understanding? I'm actually now very concerned about my ds' development :(

I think it's a great idea. Amused at posters who think it's rude or cheeky to spend the money on decorating and furnishings. If she'll like the room, it's an appropriate present. It's not like you're using the money to decorate your lounge or kitchen!

Agree with chippingin. Don't we all replace linens anyway? And.... She's TWO. Ffs.