to be a bit envious of all the children around me who seem to have got i-phones

[BettyBedlam]

At a pantomine last week, four children were called up on stage (aged about 6-8). One had got an iPad for Christmas, and another an iPod Touch. Then I was behind a girl at DC's school, who was mentioned she hadn't got a new i-phone for Christmas.

Feeling a bit hard done by and a bit 'what' 'is' 'this' 'country' 'coming' 'to'? I was lucky to get a tangerine at Christmas

I always wonder what the next present will be when they have received these topend gagdets.

you can strike out whole sentences btw

Madness! Why on earth does a 6 yr old need an iphone? Stoooopid.

All the teens I know have Blackberries and are surgically attached to them. Quite depressing. They literally struggle to look up form their phone and hold a 3 minute conversation.

DS1 (12) is the only child in his year not to get a Blackberry apparently. That may not be strictly true but a lot of them were waving them about on Facebook on Christmas day. A Blackberry is essential when you are 12 obviously.

I watched a teaching video the other day where the children were put into groups for activities. Rather than As and Bs or whatever, they were ipads, Blackberries, iphones etc . All the children I know are better gadgeted (yes, that's a thing. Honest) than me. They also have better cars, the older ones. And spend more on hair/nails/clothes.

I need to move back home .

My DS has a coach ride too and from school and frankly I like him to have a phone. If he's going to be late etc then I want to know particularly as I have to collect him from the coach stop. He has a Blackberry Curve - very popular with everyone that age because of BBM. Also it's on an extremely reasonably priced contract.

One of his friends has the brand new IPhone and even the 6th formers thought that was mad!!

Should say, he's 11

I feel sorry for kids with iphones- a target for thieves ..and what comes next? A magic pony?

Lowlife hanging about outside the shopping mall smoking and generally abusing the shoppers have an Iphone these days. I earn 50K and I think I cant possibly afford it.

DS1 (12) has an iPhone. My old 3GS. Keep your patronising sympathy, he doesn't need it :)

On bonus is that I can locate him on a map which is useful.

I had my half brother's old iPhone when I was 15-16. It amazed me when year 7 and 8s were getting brand new ones though what is the point?

Ds1 only has my iPhone as I upgraded. He is not allowed to take out as don't want him targeted. No sim in it at present and uses wifi at home. He's almost 12 but let's his brother play on it too. It hast cost me anything for him to have ad no ongoing costs. He's not permantly on it not does he take it out. I really don't see an issue with it.

Soup dragon

Oh and Whatsthescenario - that is so common now. I can't have a conversation with some friends either without someone being glued to their blackberry.

Had to buy my own phones, consoles and computers back when I was younger, finding the amount of gadgetry just given to children these days quite amazing. DSS has almost every gaming console there is, plus numerous games, plus a new phone and an iPod Touch for Christmas. I question where these kids will get the drive to go out and achieve and work hard when most of their childhood they're being given everything on a plate.

I have an iPhone 4s , Granddaughter 16 reaction was a classic.

she very arrogantly and jealously said

"but but but its so wasted on you grandma"

after that reaction ....it so wasn't

Soup hand me downs are different. But very appreciated by dcs

Ds as a super duper one off last year got an iPod - he totally understood how special it was and was just as pleased with his meagre in comparison presents this year. He uses it lots, dictionary, surfing for homework, audiobooks and yes games, plus he can buy apps with his pocket money, so well worth the investment tbh.

Thing is with your OP, neither of those kids you mentioned on stage did get an iPhone...one got an iPad and the other an iPod, which are different gadgets altogether (though similarly ludicrously overhyped and overpriced). But I could see more of an argument for a kid having an iPad (essentially a small computer) or an iPod (walkman) than an iPhone (a phone).

Having said that I do think all of those things are, like I say, ludicrously overpriced and overhyped, and I wouldn't trust most kids under about age 12 with them, partly because kids just lose things/break things more easily in general than adults, and partly because they often just don't comprehend how expensive and special those things are, and therefore aren't as likely to take the care of it that I'd want them to. (Obviously, these thoughts do not apply to all kids, adults, situations, etc.)

I help out in a yr1 class, and there's a meant-to-encourage-the-kids-to-write paper by the door where the teacher writes a message for her pupils to reply to. Yesterday it was "what did you get for Christmas?"

Replies were an iPod touch and a laptop. 5/6yr olds.

They could've been fibbing I guess, but that would've been even sadder in a way.

YABU - its stupidly over-materialistic.

Ha- don't be envious. Boring by 20 probably.

Someone recently laughed at my phone and called it 'retro'. He was quite taken aback someone would choose to have such a phone that was bought for its small size prettyness

YABU.

That's pretty sad fuzzpig . My six year old got a toy sweetshop.

I'd be far less pearl-clutching about a senior school-aged kid getting gadgetry for Xmas tho.