AIBU to not want to buy a £125 football for DS (7)

[FlirtyKirti]

DS is 7 and is completely obsessed with football. He has written a list for Father Christmas with only one thing on it - a Nike Premier League ball. I was gobsmacked to discover it cost £125: m.jdsports.co.uk/product/yellow-nike-english-premier-league-202122-flight-football/16235109/?cm_mmc=googleshop--google--shopping-_-pla&istCompanyId=9c5cf6f7-3142-4f9f-be57-2fce9c67adfd&istFeedId=014e8b49-620d-4e56-9e87-79529c403af2&istItemId=ppatqxrxm&istBid=tzwt&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7oyNBhDiARIsADtGRZaReDhs_fuuUhcaeS4lSxt3_TUb5GOBEv1euWaeea_5zd6U4p5B868aAjZvEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I don’t want to spend so much on something that is likely to get lost/kicked over a fence/punctured by a dog’s teeth, and I would worry taking something like that to a park could make him a target for thieves.

But… he is going through a tough time. His grandfather who he is very close to is dying of cancer and it is the only thing he wants, while his brother has copied out most of the Ninjago sets in the Lego catalogue on his list. I wouldn’t balk at spending that much on Lego if he’d wanted a big set as his main present. What should I do? I don’t want him to be spoilt but I also want him to be happy during what might otherwise be a rather bleak Christmas.

I would feel like you about spending it but at the same time I think if it’s affordable and as it’s all he has asked for I would.

Can you find any discount codes or anything to make it a bit cheaper

I depends on budget, could Grandad buy it? Might be a special thing for him and he’d be inclined to look after it.

Bloody hell! The price! If you can afford it, I’d get it but I wouldn’t let him take it out to the park/school, which might negate the whole point.

I feel your pain.

My youngest has recently announced that she wants the barbie house for Christmas. It’s £250. For pink plastic. We could afford but to be honest I simply cannot. I don’t really know what to do.

Quite often there's an official ball and a much cheaper replica- look for one of those

Given that you’d get it if it was Lego etc, I would get it, but perhaps accompanied by a note from Santa saying how to look after it? Or strong parenting guidance and supervision in making sure it doesn’t get lost etc as in your post.

I don’t think the issue is the price as such but that you can get something comparable for so so much cheaper. So in the case of the big Lego set you couldn’t get a similar thing cheaper whereas this is so expensive for a football.

Is he aware that the price means he won’t get much more, while if he got a similar football at a cheaper price he could also get other gifts? I only ask as sometimes I need to explain this to my younger ones, that if you get x you can’t afford anything else but if you get y which is cheaper you can get two.

@Marianne1234

I feel your pain.

My youngest has recently announced that she wants the barbie house for Christmas. It’s £250. For pink plastic. We could afford but to be honest I simply cannot. I don’t really know what to do.

Check market place on fb. I've seen them before.

I really hope that total family budget would allow you to buy the real version and it come from grandad and then you give him a replica version for actual use... could be like Wilson was to Tom Hanks

and sorry to hear about grandad, best wishes to all

Next has this almost identical one. Does he play in a team or does he just want it for a kick about? If he's serious about football I would be inclined to splash out on it for him, but if its just for a kick about with his mates and sonething he might lose interest in fairly quickly I'm not sure I would

www.next.co.uk/style/st820969/m09472?dp=a&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7oyNBhDiARIsADtGRZbME5Xq8lpxwb0ieyH5__PYZZYvbnItKgHpfC3_MWUPh8SnGU1vtpUaAt7JEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#m09472

Nike have a 25% off code, GAME21, valid till tomorrow. I know it's still a lot, but it's better? I think you have to be signed in to get it.

That next one above says currently unavailable.

I think if it’s within your budget buy him it. Why deny him it. Do you do th same with nice meals? Well I can’t have that as I will just shit it out twelve hours later? Christmas is about giving, not being judgmental and practical

Depop? Have a look.

Also I'm sorry about grandad. Xx

I'd buy him a knock off/replica one.

I couldn't spend £125 on a ball. I just couldn't do it.

@Marianne1234

I feel your pain.

My youngest has recently announced that she wants the barbie house for Christmas. It’s £250. For pink plastic. We could afford but to be honest I simply cannot. I don’t really know what to do.

The 2020 model is selling cheaper, bought it for DD2 on Amazon for £170.

@NuffSaidSam

I'd buy him a knock off/replica one.

I couldn't spend £125 on a ball. I just couldn't do it.

Out of curiosity, if you asked for something specific for Christmas, and you knew it was within budget (I don't know what you like, perfume, a bag, jewellery maybe?) and the person buying decided that it was too much to pay for that, so bought you a knock-off/ replica/fake for a fifth of the price, would you think that was ok?

I don't think I would be happy with that, personally.

Don't buy a knock off. It will be worse than not getting it.

And don't ask his dying grandad to get it! He's got enough on his plate!

If I couldn't tell the difference it would be fine.

I don't think a 7 year old will be able to tell the difference. He just wants a ball that looks like that one.

@FluffyBooBoo

Maybe you wouldn't be as an adult. But as a 7 yo?

The expensive ball is (IMO) a bad buy for a 7yo, there's no point in a ball that he's not allowed to take to the park - treat like a ball!
& might make him a target for having it taken off him in the park.

As an adult you're more able to look after things.

Lego is different as it generally stays at home!

Can you buy him the one he wants and a display stand for it and then an ordinary one to play with

This is the time you explain about value for money.

@SeaToSki

Can you buy him the one he wants and a display stand for it and then an ordinary one to play with

This is the only circumstance where I would buy a real one; if he wants it as a collector's piece to be displayed.

If he's playing with it, he can have one that looks the same but is a more reasonable price.

www.next.co.uk/style/st820969/m09472?dp=a&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7oyNBhDiARIsADtGRZaTtPzW34o37zWN3mPJGbOJyerg7AL3dRnzN158PBPAN3ECSKUBHJ0aAsNoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#m09472

Would the replica suffice OP?

I don’t blame you at all, I nearly fainted at the price!

I don't think a 7 year old will be able to tell the difference

Maybe you wouldn't be as an adult. But as a 7 yo?

As a 7 yo I was well aware of the difference between a cheap 'fashion doll' and a proper Sindy or Barbie doll. And as someone that has no interest in football, I can see there is a marked difference between the proper ball pictured and the next one below it. I would be surprised if a football obsessed 7yo couldn't tell the difference.

If op couldn't afford it, I would be totally on side. But she's clear that she can.