Over a present my DD got

[Paganmolloy]

A chocolate fountain! For an 8 year old!

She does love it, she'll remember it as the best ever, that's all that matters. Hopefully it won't be anything like the ice-cream maker that sat in a corner and was played with about twice.

OK I'll slink off with my tail between my legs as I'm obviously a mad jealous, control freak of a mother who never lets her kids have fun. I get the message - I am unreasonable but I asked the question so I take it on the chin.

You know that asking anything on AIBU is ten times worse than real life, like when you fly with a cold it feel like pneumonia?

Yanbu.

Chocolate fondues are far better, no pissing about with oil either !

YABU. It's not for you, it's for her. OK you will have the final say when it can be used for the next few years, but she'll be able to share it on special occasions (and with fruit for dipping probably healthier as a party centrepiece pud than a load of cakes and biscuits) and to think of her schoolmates every time she mixes the rum and chocolate (a la tethersend) for a party at uni in a few years.

I was given a sandwich toaster at about 9, which was similar in the usefulness stakes at that point, but came into it's own in halls of residence! Keep it in the box, but keep it safe

haha love this thread!

("and I'd suggested books or vouchers or arty/crafty stuff")

Do you reckon that one of them had been given a choc fountain themselves that they wanted to pass on? Or that their dc wanted one but they didn't want the hassle or expense of doing it themselves so they thought that they would give it to you so that their dc would be able to enjoy it as an occasional treat at yours without the hassle or expense or nagging to have it that they would have if they had it at their house?

Ask them for the receipt in case you need it because it doesn't work properly (babble something about hearing they have a habit of breaking down) and then talk to your dd and ask her if she really wants a choc fountain that is only going to be used very occasionally as it is so expensive to melt or that choc or if she would like to take it back and have £xxx to spend instead.

You could even say that she could spend some of the money on a little choc fondue set which you would be able to use much more frequently due to much less choc being needed (and wasted) and still having the fun yummy melted choc and dipping fruit, biscuits, sweets etc and still have some money to spend on a treat.

What do you think your friends would say if their dc got given a choc fountain?