to think that not buy DS1 (4) a nintendo ds or wii is not deprivation.

[fruitstick]

My sister asked last night whether ds1 would like a NDS for Christmas. I said no.

He enjoys the games on my phone but I feel that as it is my phone is it entirely at my discretion when he uses it. The same with my laptop.

My sister more or less said that it was neglect and that he would be the only voy on reception not to have one. I don't think he knows what one is!

She then said that I was trying to shelter him from life !!!

Her next tactic was to imply that if I was a more disciplined parent there would be no issue with him playing it too much as I would be able to Marshall it.

So AIBU? An I the equivalent of one of those patents who didn't have a tv,

I don't object to games consoles ingeneral but figure there is plenty of time for that. I want to make the mist of the trainset years.

YANBU and no it is definately not deprivation! As others have said deprivation is throwing the latest gadget at your child to shut them up rather than sitting down and playing a game or taking them outside!

I was shocked the other day to see a 3YO from DS' nursery playing a DS and asking for whatever game for christmas and to hear from his mum that santa was buying his older brother (4YO) one too because they spend all day fighting over it... err have you ever heard of not giving them it all day in the first place? Was also surprised at how many kids were getting Wii's, dvd players, ps3 and tv's for xmas when I got pitty looks for saying DS was getting a 2 wheeler proper scooter.

My DP is an XBOX freak and admittedly DS has played that every now and again but he does'nt even really know what to do and would'nt have a clue what a DS is!

It is scary to think that when I was younger I had a Megadrive with one game (Sonic) which I only played when it was raining whereas now it's more normal to be inside.

Same as poogles, my 2 yr old got the ds to stop the fights with her 4 yr old sister, no she couldnt read, and yes she had to be helped with a lot of the games, there are some aimed at 3 yr olds though, peppa pig was a fave of hers, she did/does ride her scooter/bike/play with brio/lego/draw, all far more than she plays on the ds, but the ds is always a surefire way of getting het to sit nicely at hospital appointments/car journeys, and I think its fine, they both have mp3 players too, they are used in a similar way to the ds's, I think gadgets are fine as long as they are supervised with them, I wouldnt want them inactive staring at a screen for hours on end either

I agree with lanismum. I won't be letting them have them all the time, the same as I won't let them watch TV all the time (even when it's raining!).

It's personal preference, not deprivation, if you get games consoles for them. However, I would like to point out that I won't be depriving DC of any outdoor exercise, game playing, dressing up, drawing or other activities just because they have them. I can't do these things with them on a 3 hour car journey anyway!!

Just checked back. I did'nt mean anyone here just the person I mentioned. I meant that it is deprivation to throw gadgets at your kids left, right and centre in order to not have to do anything with them.

I don't think my sister realises how much they are. Maybe she thinks that they are leapster prices, which is about what she would normally spend.

Ds2 is 2. I hadn't even thought that they might fight over it. Definitely can wait for a few years