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.

You can purchase second hand for about half price.
I wouldn't buy a new console.

Yes but is so worth it

@Throughabushbackwards

DS has a little chromebook for school and we pay £10:99 per month for him to have an Xbox ultimate game pass. The chromebook runs all the games he wants to play with no issues at all. A proper gamer might want more from the experience, but he's 10yo so it will do for now!

£11 mth x 12 = £132 You might be cheaper buying an annual pass rather than monthly

I also suspect he probably only plays a few games again might be better buying the games outright and the xbox live.

I bought xbox live for 12months for £40. Minecraft was £20 or something, Roblox and Fortnite are 'free'

“ Honestly, we all secretly know gaming is a massive waste of one’s time.”

One thing more of a waste of time is arguing on the internet whether gaming is a waste of time. 😂

Waste of time = i sneer at people who choose to do this. Personally, i think watching football or f1 racing is a bigger waste of time. Or going for a "spa day". But other people enjoy that and who am I to judge?

@NewPapaGuinea

“ Honestly, we all secretly know gaming is a massive waste of one’s time.”

One thing more of a waste of time is arguing on the internet whether gaming is a waste of time. 😂

Exactly!

[quote foxgoosefinch]@Oblomov21 you think I shouldn’t be teaching students my specialism, just because I happen to think that spending several hundred pounds on commercial gaming tech for preteen kids isn’t anything more than an expensive waste of time?

People sure are invested in something once they’ve spent a good deal of money on it, aren’t they![/quote]
I don't see how doing something you enjoy is a waste of time. After all, you seem to enjoy acting smug to strangers on the Internet, is that a waste of time?

It is indeed a waste of time! I could kid myself I was developing great debating skills and socialising on this MN thread but it would not be true

All our kids are likely to grow up to be constantly at the beck and call of the online world. Why spend tons of cash installing it in them early when they could have a bit of time without it. But I don’t care what other people do!

@NewPapaGuinea

“ Honestly, we all secretly know gaming is a massive waste of one’s time.”

One thing more of a waste of time is arguing on the internet whether gaming is a waste of time. 😂

@foxgoosefinch if you don't want to be part of the on line world why are you on MN, put your phone down and go do some knitting.

@foxgoosefinch

It is indeed a waste of time! I could kid myself I was developing great debating skills and socialising on this MN thread but it would not be true

All our kids are likely to grow up to be constantly at the beck and call of the online world. Why spend tons of cash installing it in them early when they could have a bit of time without it. But I don’t care what other people do!

If its a waste of time, why are you doing it? Nobody likes a hypocrite, especially a self-righteous one. Why don't you log off mumsnet and do something other than criticise people for doing what they enjoy. Might I suggest Animal Crossing?

I wish I had only spent £300! Mine has Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and just managed to get my hands on a new PS5 with extra controller from PC World after looking for one most of the year. He also has a gaming computer and as we have a caravan on site of our business I am having to also looking at getting him a gaming laptop.

Problem is, I set a president early when I was in a very high earning position and have always spent a lot for Christmas (£1000 for both dc) and £500 plus a party for birthdays. I have always been in the position but at the moment all of our money is tied up in our company so I am trying to find ways around it (gumtree, eBay, reconditioned and Facebook marketplace).

People spend what they can afford. Before I came into money from my work when my youngest was one I used to spend about £200 for my eldest and £50 for youngest. It all depends how it will affect you personally. Do not buy things you can’t afford. Have a look around for reconditioned or second hand. If I could turn back time I never would have gone mad and got them everything they could ever need so slowly having to cull the amount a bit every year. I am just fortunate that they don’t act spoilt but they are used to getting a lot so I am scared of disappointing them.

Also, if you get a console, when it comes to games always get second hand and look for deals. I now refuse to pay for a new game and when family ask what to get my son I say gift cards for PlayStation etc.

I learnt my bad habit of spending from my mum as she still to this day will spend £500 on each of here 3 children even though we are all grown up and I have told her this year she needs to stop and focus on her pension. I don’t care what I get as I just love being together but even though my 10 year old son agrees, I know he is expecting an expensive console secretly. I was thinking of saying Santa had coronavirus so could make as many toys to my 6 year old because her favourite part of Christmas is literally the presents .

@MLMshouldbeillegal

During lockdown when Queen Nicola banned my kids from playing with their friends, schools were closed, and it was freezing January, it was lovely to hear my son chuckling with his schoolmates on roblox.

During the first lockdown my then 9yo was getting depressed, not eating shuffling food round the plate, head was down, horrible to watch. We tried getting him to chat to friends via zoom but beyond giggling at each other they had nothing to say. I didn't know how much kids need to actually play with other kids. I thank my lucky stars we were able to get him an Xbox, it was a total game changer hearing him talk to friends and having something to talk about.

The second lockdown was the same come 2.30 the kids were done with school and ready to game.

If you are buying one Argos have a very good deal for £279

You get the console, Mario kart game, minecraft game, 3 month online membership, 2 wheels and a case

My son is 8 and a couple of his friends had PS5s for their birthdays I was gobsmacked. One mum even paid £500 for one as they were sold out! We don't exactly live in a well off part of the country either!

@superstar84 which console is that please?

Nintendo switch

DS 13 already has:
PS4 / Xbox 1 /Nintendo Switch /ipad and a gaming laptop. This year he asked for the Xbox series X for Christmas, managed to get one from Smyths - it'll be a good surprise for him as they're oos everywhere so he has no idea we got hold of one. That was £449 so that's his main present. We're in the middle of doing up the spare room as a gaming room for him so he has more space.

Agree with a pp about Roblox and Fortnite being free but beware igp's. DS spent hundreds on these free games getting outfits, weapons etc, particularly on Fortnite which he hasn't played in ages.

Thanks all for the comments, advice and debates. I have just been working my way through the comments. Its been an interesting read.

I am very out of the loop with all this. I feel in the dark ages. I'm only 30 !
I have a laptop that my brother got me it was ex display which is pretty decent and my dd does very occasionally play dress up barbie style games on there. She has made a friend recently who plays Xbox. Her mum heavily controls her usage it seems. When she was round to play she was talking about it alot. My dd does need all the social help she can get. Poor thing is already an outsider. I wondered if it would help her connect with others who are like her more. She goes to choir, art school and a group for autistic children where they do various activities. I think maybe it would be good for in between these. Like I said we are limited to what she will do/play and she does require support with downtime, as in she needs us to guide her to a relaxing activity or to rest. She would be constantly on the go otherwise and running around doing various 'projects'. She also has adhd. My dd probably won't meet with friends out and about as is normal at the same age as her peers because her needs make her vulnerable and she is behind with needed skills for this. So she will need something to do as she gets older.
However, I'm reluctant because I agree with what some pp have said. Its got the potential to be addictive and dd does get fixed on things. Plus I dislike the way the world is going with technology and its reliance and focus (i say as im sat on mns while I'm supposed to be working ).

I'm going to have a look after work at some deals and decide.

I appreciate things are very different with kids who have ASD and/or ADHD (though it may make a difference how the ADHD manifests, too). Would something like a Switch Lite that could be physically taken away when not in use work better for your DD? Then it becomes something less potentially always there/potentially always connected to the TV, and more something that is used only for supervised periods and then gets physically put away in between?

In my experience, gaming attracts a lot of neurodiverse people because it's a safer safe to be social in. I have a few gaming friends with autism and it has made their worlds a lot wider, not smaller, because they feel more confident about talking to people when it's written communication or they have the time to think about things before replying and when they can use an avatar or something else to repResent them. It also gives them a commonality - everyone can talk about game stuff, work together to achieve game goals, enjoy a shared experience - without some of the stress that in-person or traditional interactions bring.

In particular, one of my autistic friends has graduated from gaming online to taking part in Warhammer gaming events in person, which was a massive step for him, but in those arenas he's not 'the odd one' or 'the guy who can't talk to people', which is how he has described himself before, he's just another gamer and is as welcomed as anyone else.

Foxgoose if you'd read my posts properly you'd have seen that we didnt spend that much, "small outlay", that not everyone spends £350. There are plenty of opportunities to buy an older machine, 2nd hand, or new without a box.

I'd go with the console that her friends have with Xbox set yourself up as the first user, then set up a child profile for your kid.

That then allows you to set limits on both browsing (remember these are really a powerful computer in disguise), and time both max hours per day and time.

You can also download the app and control it that way. It's not hard very user friendly and easy to do.
Is guess that PlayStation is the same.

I bought DS a ninetendo switch last year that's all he has other than an amazon fire Ipad. He was 6 then.

I think they are worth it though. Keeps kids busy on the train, travelling in the airport or other long journeys. You can put the switch on the TV with family/friends.

I think as a main present it's not too bad cost wise. DS didn't get much else along with that.

All children should have access to a games console or gaming PC, frankly it's a necessity these days. People spend more time online, that's just the way of things, and online play is the same as offline play these days - it's where children learn social skills. Preventing a child from experiencing the world of online gaming is just as detrimental as refusing to ever allow them to go outside to play with their friends.

All children don’t need access to a gaming pc or console just because you enjoy it. That’s like me saying all children should play football because my son plays for a team and loves it. Different parents and kid prioritise different things.