Do people really spend £300 on their kids console

[Arren12]

Hi

My dd who is 8 has been asking for a console for ages and ages now. We have never owned anything like that. She's autistic and has never played with toys so we are limited to what we can get her for Xmas. I thought I'd look at getting a console of some sort but I'm gobsmacked at the price.

Most of her friends at school have had them for ages so obviously people must spend this but its seems so excessive.

We are by no means rich but we are not struggling for money. We are quite comfortable. Its just I feel its such a lot and think about what else that money could go on.

As I say my dd does not play in the traditional sense and spends all her time doing arts and crafts. We have every art and craft thing you can imagine so can't get her any more of that really. This seemed ideal but its way more than I'd normally like to spend on each child.

What do others do? Is it that people do spend £300 on Xmas gifts or is it purely seen as a one off big purchase.

The games are also so expensive.

Do most children have a console.

I feel a bit like I'm a bad mum because dd seems one of the only children in her class not to game. This was evident in a recent homework assignment.

Aibu to be shocked that parents are spending this and wondering how most afford it or feel comfortable with it.

As for not being real socialising, pre Covid attended a wedding of a couple we met through an online game 10 years ago (putting aside the fact that I met DH through an game too). There was a whole table of us who had met through this game, and been talking and playing together for year. Most of us were meeting face to face for the first time, but they were no less friends than some of my more 'traditional' friends. I speak every day to my gaming friends.

If you don't understand modern gaming, that's fine. It has moved on rapidly from what we used think of as 'gaming' (teenage boys playing FIFA together on a console). Gaming is a huge space, with people of all ages, abilities, passions.

But kids have always wanted consoles? I remember getting a Mega Drive for Christmas when I was a kid, and most of my friends had Mega Drives too. So what's the difference now?

Got ours off eBay- £100 x

Starcaller you don’t seem to understand what the thread is about. We’re not talking about adults doing whatever they like. We’re talking about preteen kids and parents being encouraged to spend time and money on expensive gaming equipment because of a) peer pressure and fears of being socially “outliers” if they don’t; and b) justifying gaming by pretending it replaces other essential skills.

Presumably you learned to socialise like we all did, with outdoor play and interaction. Now you choose to do RPGs. Good for you. We’re talking about 7-9 year old kids here though, of a generation where they get far less in person activity than ever and lots have already spent near on two years stuck in their house during a pandemic, something you presumably didn’t experience as a child.

@Starcaller

But kids have always wanted consoles? I remember getting a Mega Drive for Christmas when I was a kid, and most of my friends had Mega Drives too. So what's the difference now?

You can’t tell the difference between the working and leisure world of the 1990s and today?

and then why not do something genuinely social or fun

Gaming is genuinely social and fun. Just because you don't find it fun doesn't mean others don't. I don't find going to a BBQ fun but plenty of other people do.

How about getting her a laptop? I know it is more expensive but she can use that for school work, learning to touch type, coding etc. It can also be used for gaming but has lots of scope for other useful things so might be a better investment.

So kids play football or dance, socialise, have fun….at the end of it, they can play football or dance!

Play games, have fun… then Mario off or take the game away and what are you left with…? Nothing unless you have the prop of the (expensive) console and game.

Don’t kid yourself, when gaming your kid is just a money-making profit centre for the gaming industry! That’s absolutely fine if that’s what you want and you find it fun and enjoyable! But don’t kid yourself it’s something it’s not!

Oh God, I’m dreading this age. Thankfully my oldest is only in year 1 and knows of no one with any kind of console and doesn’t know what they are. I guess we’ve only got a few more years of this though.

Is there a specific reason why they need to be the newest console? Do games just not work on the previous model?

It's quite clear that you don't actually know anything about gaming, foxgoosefinch. You've decided it's bad, based on ... Well... i don't really know what. No first hand experience, certainly.

You know it's possible to let a child use a computer but not let that be the only thing that they do?

Well a young colleague told me that he plays his console to relax just like his mother watches Coronation Street.

I don’t understand either thing but if it makes people happy then who am I to say that is not the way.

Play games, have fun… then Mario off or take the game away and what are you left with…

A happy child that has spent some time doing something purely for pleasure.

Excellent post.

foxgoosefinch Excellent post.

Many on here won’t like it though.

@RedDeadRoach

It's quite clear that you don't actually know anything about gaming, foxgoosefinch. You've decided it's bad, based on ... Well... i don't really know what. No first hand experience, certainly.

You know it's possible to let a child use a computer but not let that be the only thing that they do?

So tell me, then, why is it essential to my 8 y old’s life that I spend a lot of money for her to spend time playing Animal Crossing? If you only let them use it a little bit it sounds even less good value for the money, doesn’t it?

I teach 18-22 year olds and one of the things they say to me most often is that they wish they hadn’t been allowed games, tech and phones so early in life. Many say the online world causes them great anxiety, not the reverse.

@foxgoosefinch

So kids play football or dance, socialise, have fun….at the end of it, they can play football or dance!

Play games, have fun… then Mario off or take the game away and what are you left with…? Nothing unless you have the prop of the (expensive) console and game.

Don’t kid yourself, when gaming your kid is just a money-making profit centre for the gaming industry! That’s absolutely fine if that’s what you want and you find it fun and enjoyable! But don’t kid yourself it’s something it’s not!

And the purpose of watching movies or TV shows is? Playing snakes and ladders? You sound utterly out of touch I'm afraid!

@HerRoyalWitchyness

Play games, have fun… then Mario off or take the game away and what are you left with…

A happy child that has spent some time doing something purely for pleasure.

I wish mumsnet had a "like" button just for this.

Not every hour of the day has to be spent achieving something. Do you only allow your children to have hobbies or interests that result in some sort of personal development or skill acquisition? Are they allowed to watch TV?

But the same could be said for any entertainment. Been to see James Bind at the movies? You're just a money making pawn of the film companies. Stated in and watched a box set? Just a money maker for Netflix. Listened to a podcast or the radio? Those advertisers are just making money from you.

It makes no sense. Lots of entertainment is frivolous and "pointless"?which is what makes it entertain.

I think a switch would be good at that age. Minecraft would probably a good game that would keep her occupied for a while. As others have mentioned you can buy games second hand. The DCs also sell theirs to fund new ones.

I know it seems like a lot of money but think of it the same way as TVs etc.
I remember my father questioning whether we needed a VHS player! I think that cost about £400 in the early 80s and it was very much for the children to watch films from video rental shop. (Although he has no qualms about buying us a computer as he saw it as educational)

Minecraft and other X box games have been excellent for my autistic DS. It's given him a creative outlet and has enabled him to create things that he has been very proud of.

It's also encouraged social interaction with children at school; as he can talk confidently about gaming; and with the wider family (as they know that they can ask him about things he has built in minecraft recently as a conversation starter)

When he's started getting stressed out and about, we've also used it as a distraction technique to help him focus (tell me about something you've made recently? Are they any new updates coming out that you are excited about).

@HerRoyalWitchyness

Play games, have fun… then Mario off or take the game away and what are you left with…

A happy child that has spent some time doing something purely for pleasure.

If it’s activating their behavioural reward centres repeatedly - so you get a cycle of excitation-goal-treat-repeat - but not giving them anything else, like physical activity or a material thing to show for it at the end or real life fun with friends; I’d think you’d get a child who was a bit worked up and hadn’t any way to release the experience.

the consoles are relatively affordable, in real terms, compared to what a crappy 8-bit home computer used to cost back in my day as a child [1980s], but i agree that the top tier games are now very dear.

if it's any consolation many of the games that seem to be the most popular with the kids, like fortnite and others, are free to play.

How gaming can help in the workplace.

www.bbc.com/news/business-49317440

Skills from gaming

www.murdoch.edu.au/news/articles/8-workplace-skills-you-learn-from-gaming

interestingengineering.com/9-everyday-skills-video-games-can-improve

My dc1 has an iPad for Christmas

My dc2 has a new Nintendo switch

🤷‍♀️

They have been asking for years now

We also have a ps5, PS4 and a new x box which are dh but both of them use

I’d think you’d get a child who was a bit worked up and hadn’t any way to release the experience.

Clearly you know nothing about gaming and are not willing to learn. You carry on being a miserly fuck.