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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think dh has bought a completely unsuitable telescope for ds1 and thereby ruined Christmas?

67 replies

lecce · 03/12/2013 22:08

Ok, I am exaggerating about the ruined Christmas bit, but I have just looked under the bed and am completely taken aback by the size of the telescope dh has got for ds1 (will be 7 in March).

Ds asked for a telescope for Christmas and dh and I chose one together from Amazon (it was the National Geographic one for children). Then dh, on chasing it up when the delivery date came and went, found that the seller had gone bust so he got a refund and bought another one.

It came today and it's massive. It is about half the length of our bed and looks quite bulky overall, though I haven't taken it out of the box. I can't see how ds will be able to do anything with it alone as it will be so unwieldy and difficult to manage, from what I can tell. I don't know where we will have the space to set it up or store it. I am also worried it will be too powerful, as dh excitedly tells me it has a filter for looking at the moon.

I am so worried it is going to be a massive flop after ds has been so excited about the prospect of gertting one (he doesn't know he definitely is.) Is dh an idiot for not thinking this through? He told me when he bought it that it wasn't 'really' for children, but that a few of the reviewers had mentioned it being good for 'younger astronomers', but not 6 year olds, I'm guessing...

OP posts:
TamzinGrey · 03/12/2013 22:39

Your DS is going to love this and he'll just grow more and more into it as he gets older. What a fabulous present.

BehindLockNumberNine · 03/12/2013 22:47

Amazing present!!

We have a huge telescope. Dh will get it out when we know there is something good to look at and because it is such a good one we have counted craters on the moon, seen the rings of Saturn, spacestations passing over, meteor showers and all manner of good stuff.

Yes, dh has to manhandle it, but to be fair most stargazing is done at night, when dh is home and he and ds can make an evening of it as and when there is something good to see. That way it won't be used all the time, when it is being used it will be a special event and magical for ds. And he will get to see a clear and good image. I think this way his love for astronomy will grow.

Whereas with the weaker / cheaper one.... No fun if it is out all the time (ie he can use it himself whenever he wants), no fun if the image quality is poor.

Your dh made a good call!

Notcontent · 03/12/2013 23:10

Agree that often the children's versions of things like that are a bit useless and disappointing.

Eilidhbelle · 03/12/2013 23:14

Sorry, but I also think it sounds brilliant. I bet your son loves it.

Finola1step · 03/12/2013 23:15

Brilliant present. Yes, your DH will need to spend time with your son so that he gets the full benefit of it.

My son is a year younger than yours and a decent telescope is a very likely present for Xmas next year. Your DH is spot on with this one.

KnitFastDieWarm · 03/12/2013 23:16

I think kids benefit from 'real' hobby kit - it makes it special and serious and 'grown up'. it also teaches and appreciation of quality tools - I can still remember my dad buying me a set of beautiful artist's pencils when I was about 7, I used to treat them like they were made of gold and I still remember the pride of being trusted to look after 'grown up' things :)

also, you never know where a childhood hobby might lead...my sister in law was given a 'proper' telescope and star map for her birthday as a small child - she's now an astrophysicist, she caught the space bug early!

drbonnieblossman · 03/12/2013 23:19

yabu. the national geo one is shit. cant see a thing. serves as a bedroom bookend. better to invest in something decent imo.

curlew · 03/12/2013 23:22

How can "better" be a flop?

BlingBang · 03/12/2013 23:25

Now i really want a good telescope.

Rosencrantz · 04/12/2013 02:16

That telescope sounds great! Toy telescopes are shit in my experience.

LoopyLobster · 04/12/2013 03:00

How odd. Of course a better one will be... better Confused

Lairyfights · 04/12/2013 03:04

Wow I think this sounds amazing! Your DS wanted a telescope, and it sounds like he's got a brilliant one that he will be able to use for years! I think your DH deserves a thanks, sounds like it's going to make your DS' Christmas not ruin it!

Spermysextowel · 04/12/2013 03:19

My usually useless ex bought a telescope whilst working in USA but it's been a hit. It helps that bro-in-law is v hands-on & knows about this sort of thing, & whenever I have to kit them out with flasks, thermals etc my sister & I can join in but also drink lots of hot chocolate with Tia
Maria in it.

SoonToBeSix · 04/12/2013 05:13

Yabu the national geographic one is rubbish.

Original poster
lecce · 04/12/2013 05:25

Wow, very reassuring thanks everyone. I feel silly now, but I was taken aback by the size and grown-upness of it Blush.

Dh will be more than happy to use it with ds, we had thought he would need support to get anything meaningful from a telescope anyway, and ds is quite 'old' for his age and has been interested in space for a while, so I guess it will go down very well. We ahve a loft room so I suppose we can leave it set up there, though the dc do play up there unsupervised so potential for disaster if ds2 gets his hands on it...

Sounds like we had a lucky escape from the Nat G one Grin.

OP posts:
Lavenderhoney · 04/12/2013 05:33

Sounds wonderful and exactly the sort of thing my ds would covert:)

If you have an iPad download starwalk, its amazing:)

livinginwonderland · 04/12/2013 07:43

YABU!

I used to obsessed with space/planets as a kid and my dad had a pair of binoculaurs and whenever planets or certain constellations were in sight, he'd take me outside or on to the landing and show me. I loved it. It was our little father/daughter thing (my mum was bored witless by it all) and it's one of my favourite childhood memories.

It sounds like your DH is enthusiastic and has done his research, so even if your DS doesn't use it, I'm sure your DH will! I think, at 7, he'll need help regardless of whether it's a full-sized one or a kids one, so it's good that his dad is enthusiastic about it and wants to get something decent and worthwhile!

SomethingkindaOod · 04/12/2013 08:09

National geographic one is, as stated above, pants. The stand is flimsy and the lens rubbish. DS has an old one of his Grandads, ancient, a wee bit bulky and weighs a ton but so much better!
If you're on Twitter follow Virtual Astronomer, they give you a heads up of anything interesting to look at.
It'll be fine OP.

BananaNotPeelingWell · 04/12/2013 08:17

Wow I think it sounds brilliant and I bet its a huge hit. Its a big present, a real telescope (not kids 'version' of a real one - never the same imho) and something ds and dh can set up togetherSmile

cuttingpicassostoenails · 04/12/2013 08:27

What a wonderful present for a child.

sashh · 04/12/2013 08:28

I still remember my brother getting a telescope. We could see the moon a bit better bt not anything else - used perhaps 3 times, and 2 of those was me.

Given the choice of that, which would fit on a window sill and be used any time or a propper one that could only be used with an adult but you could actually see things I'd go for the latter.

MackerelOfFact · 04/12/2013 08:28

So

MackerelOfFact · 04/12/2013 08:30

Er, oops. Blush

Sounds fantastic to me!

How much is a semi-decent, usable telescope, out of interest?

comedycentral · 04/12/2013 08:31

Sounds like a fab gift.

fluffyraggies · 04/12/2013 08:36

So in this case OP, size really does matter Grin

Glad you've warmed to the idea, i thought it was lovely to hear about your DH being all excited to give this to his young DS.