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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy DS a huge Mr Men book box set just cos? Worried about spoiling him!

54 replies

ilikeyoursleeves · 14/02/2013 21:50

ie not for a birthday or any other special occasion? I keep going on about dh spoiling our kids cos he buys them toys quite often in between Xmas and birthdays. Ds1 is starting to say 'I want I want...' a lot and I don't want him getting spoiled.

He is 5.5 and his latest thing he loves is Mr Men books. He can read them perfectly himself and really enjoys them. He has 3 but is now asking for more. I just found a box set of 47 books for £30 (RRP £125 or something) and I'm swithering whether to buy them or not, I don't want him to be 'spoiled' but can you really spoil someone with books? Or I could keep them and give them to him for say, Easter or a good report at parents night?

AIBU to give him them?

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 14/02/2013 21:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TeamJavert · 14/02/2013 21:51

You can't spoil someone with books imho.

gordyslovesheep · 14/02/2013 21:52

you will have to read them too him - but if you want to why not - blimey books are ace - you can never have too many

Aworryingtrend · 14/02/2013 21:52

Yanbu to buy the books, I too am of the mindset that you can't spoil with books. just try and get him out of the 'I want' habit. no idea how though!

tunnocksteacake · 14/02/2013 21:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Iggly · 14/02/2013 21:52

YANBU. I don't count books as toys.

germyrabbit · 14/02/2013 21:53

i wouldn't get him all the books at once, but would nuture his interest and get him into collecting by buying and finding one or two when you are out and about. it's more fun finding the last few to complete the collection that way and would teach him that good things come to those who wait Smile.

spudmasher · 14/02/2013 21:53

Get them.......for no reason other than books are fab! Books are the only unlimited thing for me. We do get from the library where possible but I will always follow my DDs interests when it comes to books and just get them. Do it!!!!

SilentMammoth · 14/02/2013 21:53

Another saying you can't spoil with books.

CSIJanner · 14/02/2013 21:53

What Euphemia said.

It's not spoiling - its educational.

Iggly · 14/02/2013 21:53

He can say "I want" al he likes. Doesn't mean he'll get it. Ds is similar but he knows he doesn't get everything.

CloudsAndTrees · 14/02/2013 21:54

Another that thinks you can't spoil with books.

landofsoapandglory · 14/02/2013 21:55

YANBU, I bought mine iPads last year "just because" (but they are a lot older and we had come into a bit of money). Sometimes it's nice to spoil people, am like everyone else says, you can't spoil people with books.

kinkyfuckery · 14/02/2013 21:55

Another one in the 'can't spoil with books' camp.

Pancakeflipper · 14/02/2013 21:56

Another one who knows books do not spoil children.

Buy them.

HeadfirstForHalos · 14/02/2013 21:57

You can never have enough books.

Also, I believe "spoiling" a child is giving in to every demand or temper tantrum, not giving them gifts (so long as they go appreciated).

Jenda · 14/02/2013 21:57

its lovely that he's enjoying reading, I don't think its spoiling. I would probably give them to him one at a time so he doesn't rush through them iyswim. maybe one every weekend and then randomly when he's been good, achieved something, needs entertaining etc. i don't think it would be too much to give them all at once though. and what a bargain!

germyrabbit · 14/02/2013 21:58

i agree books don't spoil them but i think they should have the thrill of finding the books instead of having all the series just dumped on them all at once

Valpollicella · 14/02/2013 22:00

What Jenda said. A couple every couple of days so he can choose between them. But you can never spoil a child with books. Ever!

Keep an eye out for Book People events bnear you as they have AMAZING deals. They come to my work and I often get 2/3 books for £5 for DS

MyHeadWasInTheSandNowNot · 14/02/2013 22:02

I'd do what some others have suggested & use them for treats, rewards and incentives.

Toys, books, general kid stuff is so much cheaper now than when we were kids, that kids seem to get stuff all the time. I don't think it's necessarily 'spoiling' them or making them 'spoilt' but they do (understandably) grow to accept it, just as we accepted you didn't. It means they don't play with each of their toys anywhere near as much, houses are getting filled with 'stuff' and the worst things is (IMO of course) that they just don't get the same enjoyment out of birthdays & christmas as we did... it was so exciting waiting to see which of the things you'd love, you'd get, now it's a bit 'hmm...'.

But it's hard not to do it...

germyrabbit · 14/02/2013 22:02

but instead of giving them to him, let him go out and source them for himself

MyHeadWasInTheSandNowNot · 14/02/2013 22:04

We used to have a Friday Night Treat - a can of lemonade and sausage rolls for tea Grin ... my point being that at a million years old, I still remember stuff like that, whereas it takes something BIG for kids (well, most kids) these days to think of it as 'special'. As a society I feel we are robbing them of 'looking forward' to things and things being 'special'.

HollyBerryBush · 14/02/2013 22:06

I want never got anything in our house

I'd like, please usually got what they asked for.

Simple manners go a long way, especially where books are concerned.

Tryharder · 14/02/2013 22:07

I would get him the books. It's books, not sweets. I can't believe you would even ask!

MegBusset · 14/02/2013 22:08

I dunno, my DC have kazillions of books and would still be thrilled at the concept of lemonade at teatime Grin

I think YANBU to buy the set but I know my own 5yo would be overwhelmed by getting all the books given to him at once so I would give them out over a few weeks.