Am I or is dh, re kids presents

[rogersmellyonthetelly]

I have 2 kids 5 and 7. I am constantly pestered to allow them to play on my iPhone. Understandably I'm getting a bit pissed off with this as I have to fight to get my phone, and should they break it its not only bloody expensive to fix but also I'm without a phone.
I'm strongly considering buying them an IPod touch each for Christmas, as they do the same job in terms of games but don't cost the earth. Dh says they are too young and it's tough shit. Thing is he isn't the one who is wittered at constantly for the phone and has to listen to arguments about whose bloody turn it is. AIBU to be considering buying them one each from me as their present and leaving dh out of it?

My two (also 5 and 7) are gettng a cheap Android tablet (£60) each for Christmas. Does all the games, e-mail etc. but is much cheaper and not catastrophic if it gets broken.

Id never let a child as young as yours touch my phone. My kids of 23 and 17 would not dream of playing with it!Or touching it, you are showing your children that your possessions are not of value to you, what when they take your purse to get some money out because its okay mum lets me use her phone.

Bad example you are setting. Say NO and mean it.

I'd get the iPod touches though for sure.

They already have ds each, but they find the iPhone games much more intuitive and I like the fact that they don't have to mess around changing the cartridge to swap games (and therefore can't lose the bloody game!)
Also the games on the iPhone is way cheaper, and there is a massive variety and some really great stuff. Graphics are also in a different league. I was planning to get a silicone case for the iPod things to protect them, and possibly sell the ds's in the new year.

TPL - indeed

The iPod touch is £150 new. Cheaper than dsi.

Why do you want your dcs to grow up before their time?

My ds is nearly 9 and is the last person in his class to not have a mobile phone. He is getting a cheapy pay as you go for xmas and I can guarantee that within a couple of days he will be bored with it. Because he is a child and has no real need for a phone.

Please try and learn to be a parent-that means saying NO in case you didnt realise.

Too young IMO, even if I was made of money I wouldn't do it.

My DD is often asking me to play on my iPhone. I say no most of the time, and if I do say yes there is a time limit. It's not that hard.

So DH says they're too young but is ok that they use yours. Err, right. Does he have one??

sorry, me again - they can't be trusted not to lose the game. They don't have the manual dexterity to change a cartridge. They can't share, they don't listen to "no". They sound too young, to me.

I'd also say a bit young. My two were 9 and 12. Touch wood they have survived almost a year.
Compared with an iPhone they are very thin and light. Extremely easy to drop and loose.
My two had Sony Walkman MP3 players before and they were always vanishing.
iPods don't as much, but that's partly because they constantly need charging. Again something my two happily sort, but a 5 year old couldn't.

Hmm, I dunno, I does seem a lot, that would be £300 for one each. You must be able to find some second and ones?

Saying that I did just spend £135 on dd's 3DS.

Whatever happened to just saying "No" to kids? Buying a 5 year old an iPod because you can't set some boundaries?

Oh - just in case there was any doubt - YABU. Your DH sounds like he has his head screwed on the right way, on the other hand.

5 and 7 does seem very young for that sort of thing. I would be concerned that it might prove addictive and take their attention away from what they would be better doing at that age, eg climbing trees, riding bikes, reading books, making models, drawing, painting, lego, puzzles etc etc etc.

Too young imho. DD1 had one for her last birthday, but she is 10.

But it does sound like you've made your mind up already.

Well my 5yo charges and looks after her blackberry, she's had it over a year now, she keeps it in a special place in her room but it also comes with us on various trips to the zoo etc so she can take photos.

I wouldn't buy her a new one though, think dp paid £30 for hers.

She doesn't make calls on it btw, it has no sim card.

Ilovepigs - I wold see an I touch as being far more appropriate than a phone though. My dd is 9y and only one child in her class has a mobile phone. I am surprised at how many in your child's class have phones at not even 9yo!

Dd has had electronic stuff since being about 4y o,d and nothing has ever been broken. She just isn't heavy handed I guess. Tbh I am more likely to clumsily drip something like that than my 9yo!

Dd (3.5) is getting a leapfrog explorer for this reason. Is there not something similar you can get that does the same thing?

I agree with your DH I'm afraid. I think they are too young for such expensive gadgetry. My eldest was ten before we got him an ipod, and then it was only a shuffle as I feared it may be lost or damaged. I'm stunned at how many people think expensive 'personal' handheld devices are appropriate for very young children, that can IMHO encourage children to be anti-social. Also to consider is that you are setting their expectations of gifts at a high level at a very young age, and they may expect you to keep 'raising the bar' in terms of gifts/ electronic gadgets. I think my opinion is probably an unpopular one, although this is 'AIBU' so I guess you have posted this here to canvass for a range of opinions.

I do set boundaries, if I say no I mean no, but I'm bloody sick of being pestered every 5 minutes to play on my phone. They do share, but inevitably they have a skewed perception of time and think that the other has had a longer turn than them. They really seem to enjoy the games, and I can get 10 games from the app store for the same price as one ds game.

Re Internet access: just turn the wifi off and don't put the password in if you need to restrict it.

I do find it odd that your go-to solution to the kids playing with your I-Phone is to buy them an I-Touch each? There is another option here, one which is cheaper and much more appropriate for their ages

I don't have an issue with my 6 year old Playing with my I phone, he knows he has to ask, he knows he has to be sat down on the sofa to play and he knows when his time is up to hand it over or risk not getting to use it anymore. I think you would be wise to teach them what is acceptable rather than take the easy option of getting them both a touch.

However if I was going to get a child a games console I would go for a touch rather than a ds. The games are far cheaper, no risk of losing cartridges etc

To add if they ask to play on your i-phone can you not suggest alternative things for them to do? Lego, drawing, playing in the garden (weather permitting) for example?