Is a laptop a suitable present from Gran to a 5 year old?

[twistedficus]

Its that same old Christmas problem. How to not appear ungrateful whilst keeping our son sheltered from consumerism for as longvas possible?
We have got him lego from Ebay but she really wants to buy him a laptop. DH doesnt see any problem as we dont have a desktop but if a laptop this year will he demand more and more in future?
We try very hard to avoid the I want / I need attitude of his cousins........

I agree, I think it would be a great present. Obviously parental controls would be needed though.

Oh Dear, poor you, I've been in EXACTLY this situation with my own Mum, so feel for you & YADNBU

Mine has been trying to get DD one since she was 3, along with the adult keyboard, drum set etc that are still boxed in the loft & meant us replacing with kids versions

Theres no reason a 5 yr old needs a laptop, it also means when they ARE old enough to get the benefit from one, the seeds are sown for it to be outside of your control, in our case I have NO intention of allowing DD her own until she's an adult, that way we have every right, without arguments to control what she does on it.

In my Mums case it was on the surface a kind, but in truth a very controlling gesture, so took a lot to stop of arguments to stop her.....more recent years, she buys what she likes however in appropriate & we have to replace it with a more suitable alternative to avoid WW3 , luckily we don't live near by & she won't visit us, so we can get away with swapping adult for toy, though as the years have gone on, thats got harder as DD knows whats what, so its just stress ....she now buys DD PC games...even though we don't own a PC, because she wants to get DD one

IF its not a control thing, then the answer is simple......let her get him one of the V.smile toy ones or something similat, & put the difference into his trust fund :)

IF it might be about control, you need to put your foot down & get yourself a flak jacket...good luck :)

Can I have your sons Gran.My 11 year old wants one,but can't afford to get one at moment.She would like one,but they don't need them for homework yet.They have plenty of computers in school they use.

Thanks all. U r right that he would think a big boxed toy costs more. Its that usual feeling worried about teachers and other adults thoughts if he says he got a laptop.
We are such Second Hand Joes but Gran just adores him and likes to show it through presents. Premium Bonds good idea as dont like to ask for cash and he has a bike already.
Like idea of family laptop though. Appreciate advice and like idea of nanny net, will try that.
Cheers ;-)
P.S thanks for not berrating me for having luxury of such a generous Gran. We do appreciate her honest!

Ipads are cool looking, and really handy if you want something light to carry, but as they are very trendy, be aware that you are paying a couple of hundred pounds extra for the image, and brand. You sacrifice quite a few standard laptop features, despite the extra cost. No cd/dvd drive, which could be problematic installing programs via disc for childs later mp3 players/camera or playing educational dvds that sometimes accompany kids books etc. Very small memory on ipads, and so much more prone to damage. At least your local pc store could replace a cracked laptop screen for £50. Apple are very clever. They insist on repairing it, and generally send it away. It's such a shame, because Apple have some brilliant features on some of their products, and useful apps, but they are so intent on dominating the market that they don't learn to walk before they can run. Everytime I renew my mobile phone contract, I waver a little over the iphone, but a couple of things put me off. 1. Have you ever seen the queue at the repair desk at the Apple store? On facebook, with daily regularity, from my group of 400 or so friends, all ages from 20 - 80, from all walks of life/jobs/countries. NEVER a day goes by without someone complaining that iphone/ipad has crashed, got a glitch, broken. Minute they sort themselves out - I'll be first in the queue.
Anyway - I digress. - YANBU - your priority is your child, and you shouldn't question your own instinct. You're the Mum, and if a situation with your child makes you feel uneasy, no one has the right to question that.
What a kind Granny. Could you come to a compromise with her that when she gives it to DC, She makes him feel really important "This is a grown up present, so you have to take really good care of it; Mummy will look after it when you're not using it, and you must ask her for her help whenever you want to use it etc" Set the ground rules for adult supervsion in a friendly way when it is given, rather than later!

It's afantastically generous offer and in another 6 or 7 years I'd bite her hand off for it. But 5 is too young. Way to young. She should be concentrating on pencil grip and real life interaction. PCs are an incerebily useful tool when used effectively, but a time wasting distracting aabomination when not.

She is too young to benefit properly, but not too young to be damaged by it.