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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To feel bad that ds1 wont get the nintendo he is telling everyone he wants for christmas!

45 replies

springchik · 14/12/2010 21:43

I'm not one of those parents who feels I absolutely have to buy everything my child wants however I do feel bad about this though! We have got him (among many other things)a buzz light year camera - kiddizoom, buzz light year walkie talkies, and moon sand construction crane set, all things he has asked for. However last week my parents babysat and bought their nintendos with them to do once they were in bed. Now he is telling everyone who asks (and many do) what santa is getting him for christmas that he's getting a nintendo ds!! Today I found out from a friend of ds mother that her sons getting a nintendo ds! He is not getting a nintendo ds its not going to happen as we cant afford it but everytime he tells people thats what he wants I feel really bad. He has even told a "father christmas" thats what he want during a visit!! :(

OP posts:

Blu · 14/12/2010 22:04

The way to avoid the scenario methsdrinker describes is to avoid all connection between 'being good' and Santa.

Presents are presents, given out of generosity, a desire to show love and care, and to celebrate the joy of christmas. If you wnat to set up a rewards, punishment and bargaining system stick to a star chart or pasta jar! I hate this 'good children / naughty children' thing with Father Christmas!

Original poster

springchik · 14/12/2010 22:06

Pasta jar?

OP posts:

TidyBush · 14/12/2010 22:06

When DD1 was around 5 or 6 she had made a long list of all the things she wanted for Christmas. We bought her everything except for the guitar she had asked for as 'real' ones were too expensive and 'toy' ones were cheapo crap.

On Christmas eve I was tucking her up in bed when she said "I don't care if I get nothing else from my list as long as I get a guitar" .

When I left her room I was in tears and panicking like mad that I couldn't get a guitar at 7pm on Christmas Eve.

DH talked some sense into me and the next morning when DD1 opened her presents she didn't even mention the guitar .

So the moral of the story is that children are indeed fickle and can be distracted by lots of other shiny new toys.

mumbar · 14/12/2010 22:33

It's hard isn't it. My DS has mentioned 'he may' ask Santa for just about everything in the Argos cataologue. .

In reality though he is told he can write a Christmas Wish List, so if Santa and relatives decide they want to buy him a gift to celebrate christmas they have some ideas of what he'd like. He also knows they may decide to buy him something else of their choice. Usually I get a list of about 10 items.

This xmas he has asked for a skateboard and a K'nex roller coaster. He said he really just wants the K'nex roller coaster as skateboard can wait until his b'day when its summer.

So guess what - I have turned into exactly what I said I wouldn't and despise and hunted everywhere for the damn toy. . Mindyou £25 later - xmas is done.

YANBU not to get him one, if he really wants one could he somehow earn the money? FWIW DS got a DSi something for other off ebay for his 6th birthday (AUG) which I got for £54+pp.

mumto2andnomore · 14/12/2010 22:42

I would get him one but then Im soft ! If thats what he really wants and second hand ones are not too expensive.

magicmummy1 · 14/12/2010 22:43

I have always taught dd that you can only ask Santa for one thing. One year she asked for chocolate buttons. This year she wants a whistle. She is always completely amazed that he brings more than what she has asked for!

QueenGigantaurofMnet · 14/12/2010 22:45

Tell him that Father christmas has to start making the presents quite early in the year and so he may have already sorted his present before Ds had decided he wanted a DS. but that as he wants one so badly, Santa will probably try and put it on the list for next year.

mumbar · 14/12/2010 22:48

Oh and is anyone else thinking what super cool GP's he has - "turned up with their Nintendos" .

Actually get Nanny and Grandad buy him the Nintendo - its their fault.

bentneckwine1 · 14/12/2010 23:22

Santa left a letter for my DS once explaining that Santa and Mrs Claus felt DS was too young for a mobile phone...but they had brought a gameboy instead as they knew all DS wanted to do with a phone was play the games on it!

BonniePrinceBilly · 14/12/2010 23:26

Just tell him so he doesn't be looking for it on the day. My DS (6yrs) has been asking for a DSi for 3 years, its not going to happed till he's at least 8.

ChippingIn · 14/12/2010 23:47

I second telling Nanny & Grandad to buy it!!

Teela · 14/12/2010 23:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zipzap · 14/12/2010 23:51

COuld you get him a cheap DS game that he could play on his grandparents' consoles when they next visit with them? And that he can keep to use for when he gets a ds at some point in the future...

as to whether or not you tell the GPs that they will be expected to hand over their consoles to your ds so he can have a go on his new game on their machines - that's up to you

QuoththeRaven · 15/12/2010 09:02

just a thought, its not a ds, but places like toysrus do little consoles for about £10-15 usually with just a little game on them. You could tell your son that santa didnt have time to make another ds (or buy it) but he hope that DS will like this. Then if he still goes on about it by august, you know what to get him for birthday

heres a link, hopefully there will be something useful on it but there might be more in store

Blu · 15/12/2010 12:53

SpringChik - some people use jar and pasta pieces as a discipline system - good behaviour - a piece of pasta in the jar. Bad - pasta comes out. Jar full = reward.

Original poster

springchik · 15/12/2010 22:44

Oh I see blu never heard of it. We really cant afford anything else for him and it would seem unfair on ds2 aswell. However he has £50 from his birthday he still hasnt spent (from my grandad and great auntys and uncles) and also he will get atleast £50 from my grandad for christmas. He is 90 years old and he normally hands the money to my mum who spends it on presents and gives them to my grandad to wrap iyswim. However he may give him the money instead and adding the money together plus some from us he could buy one in the new year. Just a thought at the mo!

OP posts:

chipmonkey · 15/12/2010 23:24

sprinchik, we always tell the boys that once they have sent in their list, that's it, there is no change-of-mind slip allowed.
FWIW, I'm an optometrist and I don't like nintendo ds's for small children and even for older ones I ask parents to limit them to half an hour at a time.

GoodnightNobody · 15/12/2010 23:33

I think the presents you have bought for your ds sound really great & he/you've chosen gifts that will bring him lots of joy.

My dd has done exactly the same thing, asked for lego originally and is now telling every one she wants a ds.

I'm not going to change her presents, I've reminded her that she made her list and that it can't be changed but that if she still wants a ds next year then great.

PlonkerForLifeNotJustChristmas · 15/12/2010 23:37

My 7yo is insistant that FC will bring her an Ipad! Clearly she is loopy somewhat over-optimistic, as FC most certainly will not be buying her an Ipad ...no matter how good she has been!

I started off by telling her that she is way too young and FC doesn't bring presents like that for children her age.
Her reply - "but I really really want one and there's no harm in asking".
I told her, that's fine, but she won't get one.
Her reply - "but how do you know what he will or won't get me, I'm asking anyway"
I'm going to save you the boring details and tell you that this is still ongoing

She isn't getting an Ipad ...and I'll let you know on Christmas morning how psychologically damaged she is

Morloth · 15/12/2010 23:40

I know this is right out there, but couldn't you just tell him that he can't have everything that he wants?

We do, DS1 is 6 now and has asked for some pretty outrageous things this year, my standard response is that we will have to see what happens but that you can't have everything that you want.

We don't do Santa though so don't have to try and make stuff up in order to cover it up.

What does a 5 year old need a DS for? We are gadget junkies but just can't see the point TBH.

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