To think Oliver James is spot on, parents need to stop spending so much on toys and spend it on holidays instead

[LardLizard]

Couldn’t agree with him more

Link Here

This guy needs to get a life.

I don't spend that much on toys.

Maybe if we had no birthday and Xmas presents, no books, no meals out and no days out all year we could have a holiday. As it is I'd rather eek out treat spending all year round instead of having a holiday year (we don't go on holiday).

He's a bit of a wally really.

Lard, Oliver James is different to Jamie Oliver. Easy mistake to make though....

Oliver James writes books about parenting and how we're all doing it wrong.

I wonder if a little piece of Oliver James' ego dies every time someone reads his name and thinks Jamie Oliver?

Not to worry, I think he'll be alright.

I agree that holidays and experiences are more important than things. They create memories which last a lifetime. I've met plenty of children through my work who have never seen a beach or visited the countryside. They sit inside playing on their Xbox most of the time.

I agree with him on the 'what your child will remember most' being mostly a chance to take the piss out of the rest of the family. What mine gleefully remember are times we got on the wrong bus, or got off it miles too soon and had to slog through Paris in the dark, or had the loo tent blow away in the night, or found ourselves by accident in the red light district, or left DH's clothes behind...

I think there may be plenty to go at Tawdry. Saying that I saw a cheap version of Buckaroo in home bargains yesterday and was going to buy it at the weekend to put toward the kids Christmas presents. After reading this I think i'll take them to the Galapagos islands instead.

Slightly different but we have always had nice ( not necessarily expensive) holidays abroad since the children were small, instead of spending loads of money on fancy kitchen or bathroom for example. If it is a choice we will always go for time together rather than something that the next people to buy the house will be ripping out!! They are functional, pleasant rooms so why do we need to add fancy things to them??? The plan has always been to sell when the kids leave home and we're not ever so well off so would rather have the holidays.

I think you should, InDubiousBattle - you don't want them to be emotionally scarred for life...

YABU, when I have weekends and half term holidays to fill indoors because the weather is shite, my DD can’t exactly play with a holiday can she?

Oliver James has real issues with his own mother that he tries to resolve by criticising working mothers.

He comes across as a right judgemental twat.

I saw a cheap version of Buckaroo in home bargains yesterday and was going to buy it at the weekend to put toward the kids Christmas presents. After reading this I think i'll take them to the Galapagos islands instead

😂😂

Frankly, I'd rather take parenting advice from Jamie Oliver than Oliver James.

And I'd rather take parenting advice from almost anyone other than Jamie Oliver.

its a valid point, memories over objects

there is so much pressure to get electronic gadgets, and I say a weekend in a caravan beats an Xbox. I doubt my son would agree though

Personally I think it's better to spend the money on a holiday away from the kids, but I'm not having a good day

Why any woman with her own brain (or decent bloke for that matter) would be guided by Oliver James' cod psychology is beyond me. It was all his mother's fault don't you know....

Thankfully our parents pretty much ignore our existence and that of your children - yay, no unwanted toys!

We choose the toys. So I have no real worries over them - the kids play happily, there's no over-use of games and tablets, the balance is nice.

And yes, we prioritise travel over stuff.

I do dislike the whole 'toy' market at the moment. It seems to be getting cheaper and cheaper, almost disposable items like Primark clothes, designed for a single play or two and then to be thrown out. Or a large plastic mould around one single idea, like a Paw Patrol scene, but with little room to be played with again and again day after day. Our toys have lasted years and the kids still find new games to play with them. You can't do that with some squeaking electronic TV character.

I bought into the stuff about holidays being expensive while my kids were babies, but I've found out they aren't really. I just booked summer holiday and half term flights to Spain and Italy for £16-£29 on Easyjet, then rented an apartment via another website for 300ish. Holidays don't have to be £4000 all inclusive extravaganzas.

This guy needs to get a life

really? he is a psychologist and it simply pointing out that experiences form people, and give them memories. and they do

do I remember a Zara haircut and haircut in 2001? No
But I remember that road trip I did, which cost almost the same as we did it cheap

don't know why people have to take stuff so fucking personally! I only have 1 holiday a year too but prioritise UK road trips ie staying on a mates floor as we remember them

On the other side, maybe it's better for parents to not buy an iPad at £400 and use that money for a few days away instead (we do A LOT for £500 camping)

It's clear that comparing a £2k hols with a £10 toys, it's hard to see how you can switch from one to another.
However, some children have very expensive toys (I'm thinking of endless like of bikes, scooters, skateboards etc etc that are never used, toys that never get out of the cupboard and so on) and holidays do not have to be £2k either....

The reason I buy my daughter new toys is because I get bored of her old ones. I want to enjoy playing with her, so we have real quality time. When we play with something new I am more interested, and more present. I think that's quite important actually.

Plus even if I didn't buy her toys, I still wouldn't be able to afford a holiday. I think I probably spend around £50 for her birthday, similar for Christmas, then the odd toys here and there through the year.

It's such bollocks. The people who can afford holidays can afford lots of toys. The people who can't afford holidays don't buy enough toys to add up to the cost of a holiday.

I hats a ‘Zara haircut and haircut’?

I find it annoying that people think children who don’t go on holidays can’t have a valid childhood (not defensive, we holiday every year). My friend has 5 under 6, one of whom is severely disabled, they’re lucky if they make it out the end of the street. I’m sure the kids will have plenty of happy childhood memories despite never having gone on holiday.

*What’s

Cherry typo I meant Zara jacket

I get your point but his thread I think is directed at people who choose to spend disposable income on crap and toys rather than experiences

And there are many people that do !
But they probably wouldn't give two fucks anyway . I just hate consumerism and all the plastic shit we buy and the waste it produces .

I just tested this theory on my kids and they agree

Each to their own though

The man's a cock. He's entitled to his opinion, and others are entitled to think those opinions are utter wank.