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AIBU?

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Original poster

Inappropriate gift

95 replies

CaramelCandle · 26/12/2020 10:20

Family member got walkie talkies for the kids age 6 and 5. I was sceptical about the safety of them but they convinced me they were safe. Just tried them out and straight away heard a man saying hello on the other end. Turned them off and put them back in the box. Don't think it's safe for kids to be talking to strangers or for people to be listening to their conversations. Is it unreasonable to give them back to the gifter? I know they weren't cheap and we won't be using them again.

OP posts:
Beautiful3 · 26/12/2020 12:04

You just need to change the frequency to one where no one replies apart from your kids. It kept retuning, and picking up the guys who work in the shop yard. I ended up bining ours!!!

MaryLeeOnHigh · 26/12/2020 12:07

The instructions will tell you how to change the channel and “secure” it. We got my DCs walkie talkies too and this was the first thing I did.

This. Just read the instructions, follow them, and stop being precious.

Sparklingbrook · 26/12/2020 12:08

Our baby monitor picked up the house over the road, we then decided we didn't actually need a baby monitor anyway!

As fir the walkie talkies what a great present-change the frequency, and show the DC how to use them.

AliceMcK · 26/12/2020 12:09

You don’t live near us do you.. my DCs got some yesterday and we kept hearing someone else on the other end, my DCs think it’s great, they are convinced it’s a girl called Emma. DH and I are keeping an eye on them playing with them, they are too loud for us not to hear them even if they go in their rooms. They know the rules and talking to strangers, it’s the same rules as when they are on roblox or other games, they never tell anyone their names, where they live and they come and tell us if someone is talking to them.

Right now they are having fun playing around the house with them, if we feel they aren’t safe we will pack them away.

Standrewsschool · 26/12/2020 12:09

Walk-in talkies are a fairly common kids present. As others have said, change frequency.

Yes, it is unreasonable to give them back to the gifter. He has given a present to you. If you don’t want to use them, quietly hide them.

Sparklingbrook · 26/12/2020 12:10

I feel a bit sorry for the gifter. It's not an 'innapropriate gift' is it? Confused

jimmyhill · 26/12/2020 12:12

you cannot filter someone threatening to murder someone else and “get on your back you whore that’s all you’re good for”

Sounds a bit like a movie or TV drama you picked up. Why would somebody be saying such things over shortwave radio?

theDudesmummy · 26/12/2020 12:13

Oh come on! There is nothing inappropriate about the gift! Just set the walkie talkies up properly and supervise your kids, like with anything.

SavoyCabbage · 26/12/2020 12:13

We had walkie talkies growing up and wove it into our games if we ended up on a channel where you could hear other people. It was a lot of fun.

BumbleBeegu · 26/12/2020 12:15

YABU...and need to get a grip on 21st century technology. It really is not ok to be this inept with simple tech when you have children these days. In fact, I would go so far as to say, being IT literate is right up there with 'teach them to swim' in important life skills...probably more important.

Open the box. Read the instructions. Educate yourself!

Beautifulbonnie · 26/12/2020 12:15

Ha. We had this exact scenario about 15 mins ago!

Kids got Walkie talkies. But it had channels. So we just changed the Channel. We listened for a while. But couldn’t hear anything. It wasn’t a police channel and they couldn’t hear my kids. So it’s all ok

I’d regift them. To someone older. It’s rude I feel to send a gift back.

WeLovePeaSoup · 26/12/2020 12:16

Father Christmas bought a walkie talkie for our DD9. She tried it out with my DH in the house. I wonder if you heard him talking to her?😀

Beautifulbonnie · 26/12/2020 12:17

@sanityisamyth. My uncle used to be a policeman. Back in the 70’s. They’d confiscated some radios that could intercept the police channels. I spent many hours listening to it. I’m talking hours and hours. Loved it.

Obviously can’t do it now. Plus it’s all digital and protected. But those were the days!

theDudesmummy · 26/12/2020 12:18

I am from the era where everyone had CB radios in their cars...I was on the radio all the time...my parents didn't supervise anything. (Not that I agree with that, but it was the 1970s and...well, very different then!).

My DS has had walkie talkies since he was about 9. Like his access to the internet, of course one has to keep a close eye on what he is doing at that age. Saying the walkie talkie is inapproprite is like being at a playpark or watching TV is inappropriate. You wouldn't allow small children to do these things unsupervised, as there would be dangers in that. But that doesn't make the activity inherently inappropriate.

Amberleaf12 · 26/12/2020 12:18

@StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff

It’s not ‘inappropriate’ is it. They weren’t bought so your DC could communicate with strangers.

Seriously, calm down

This.

I don’t think the person who gave the gift had bad intentions.

It just so happens that the gifts have sparked some concern.

In your position I wouldn’t return to the item to the person who gave the gift. That’s really distasteful and would upset the person.

How about on the side you figure out how to prevent weird people from talking to your kids and if you can’t solve the problem then just put the walkies away?

Unless there’s a huge back story about the person who gave the gift ?

Your kids were given something. That’s really nice of the person to have gone through the effort.

SunshineCake · 26/12/2020 12:22

Some really spiteful people on here.

SnuggyBuggy · 26/12/2020 12:29

Am I the only one thinking of that scene in American Pie?

Coffeeandcocopops · 26/12/2020 12:30

I think they are great. My kids loved them when we went to the park or on holiday. You can set them up to be safe.

sanityisamyth · 26/12/2020 12:32

[quote Beautifulbonnie]@sanityisamyth. My uncle used to be a policeman. Back in the 70’s. They’d confiscated some radios that could intercept the police channels. I spent many hours listening to it. I’m talking hours and hours. Loved it.

Obviously can’t do it now. Plus it’s all digital and protected. But those were the days![/quote]

That sounds fun!! 🤣🤣🤣

Bunnybigears · 26/12/2020 12:38

Wow, me and my brother had loads of walkie talkies when we were kids and my kids have had some as well. We couldn't even talk to each other (unless we were in the same room) never mind random strangers!

RedToothBrush · 26/12/2020 12:43

We had a laugh last christmas with walkie talkies and people having them on the default channel. Switch it and it should be fine...

GloGirl · 26/12/2020 12:51

the kids love their walkie talkies at a similar age. change the channel

DillyDilly · 26/12/2020 12:58

Why would you give them back ? Either use or donate to charity shop.

christmasathomeagain · 26/12/2020 12:58

@StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff

It’s not ‘inappropriate’ is it. They weren’t bought so your DC could communicate with strangers.

Seriously, calm down

Agree. Walkie Talkies have been like this for years. I'min my 40's and remember my brothers having them and hearing scrambled conversations from others. It doesn't make the gift inappropriate or un safe.

Change the channel and talk to your kids about not talking to strangers and not giving out personal information via them.

babycakes1010 · 26/12/2020 13:01

Just had the same issue. Ds6 wanted Ryan world ones and have had loads of random people talking. Have taken them away!