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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

in saying my 5 year old DD is too young for a Nintendo DS?

97 replies

MrsR99 · 24/04/2008 10:39

My 8 year old DS was given a DS lite for his birthday. Grandpa thought it looked so much fun he bought one for himself. Then he and grandma called from the airport on their way to go on holiday to tell my DH that they had bought him one too! My 5 year old DD has already asked for a DS but we told her she was too young (she can barely read) and could have one when she could read properly. When she finds out that not only her brother and grandpa, but also her daddy have all got them, she's going to go bananas. This is after her best friend got given a DS for her 5th birthday last week! I really have a problem with the idea of the whole family lined up on the sofa staring at that **ing screen, bashing at buttons and not talking to each other, and generally turning into zombies. Am I being mean?

OP posts:
lisad123 · 25/04/2008 16:35

My DD1 plays well with her, and will sit and play ludo and cards as well as the other games. I wouldnt say she is too young at 5 but if you dont want your dd having one, then dont buy her, your child so your choice. Maybe she can share your DH one. Its a lot of money to spend on something she might not like.

silvercrown · 25/04/2008 18:28

My 4 yo only got one because I thought I had lost my dd2's (she's 8) so I had to buy another one and then lo and behold the "lost" one turned up!! TBH I wouldn't have bought it for her at this age - alot of games involve being able to read but now she has it she can play some simple gba games on it. All 3 get bired very easily actually so it's not as bad as I thought. Worst times are birthdays and xmas when they get lots of new games to try out.

FairyMum · 26/04/2008 07:51

obimomkanobi, I am aware not every activity has to be educational LOL I also mentioned quality. Some games are better and more appropriate for children than others I am sure you will agree.

I agree technology is part of the modern world, but is a nintendo actually technology? I think not. A pc is technology, learning to install games and use a keyboard is a good thing, but I hardly think they are left behind in the tehcnological race if they are "deprived" pc games.

I don't care how many nintendo games other people have, just don't think they are necessary for my child and I am suprised of how many posters think this is something of a deprivation if a child doesn't have access to one. That really puzzles me.

jess1396 · 26/04/2008 07:56

I dont agree with young children having things like that. especially the games they have for them now . Shold be a teenager before having things like ds.

learning resources like they used want to play with. etc. whats the world comingg to if we are going to give our kids what they want

misdee · 26/04/2008 08:23

dd2 has had one since she was 4. she is 5 now. she is on her second one as her first one the screen broke so the shop upgraded it to a ds lite.

she can get very involved in the games she is playing on it, but we have set time limits and have had chats about if losing on a game upset hers then she needs to switch it off or put it away even if she isnt upto her time limit. she does have some periods where she doesnt want to stop playing (she loves yoshi's island, is upto the level 4 section now), but we do make sure the game is saved so she can carry on later on.

she hasnt touched it this week at all or asked for it, so its still sitting in my bedroom where she left it.

at the end of the day you are the parent. if you want them only playing for x amount of time, then set that limit and stick to it. if you dont want her having one at all then dont buy one. no-one is forcing you to buy one.

dd2 loves her, as does dd1 (she got hers for her 6th birthday), but they arent the only things they play with.

martini82 · 26/04/2008 08:34

i would not let my ds aged 4.5 have one of those however he has got a leapster max that has been fantastic for him as all the games are very educational!

he also plays his dads nintendo wii - great on rainy days as he is hyperactive, he is only allowed to play the sport or the wii play games. i also play it with him too! my ds2 8 months also enjoys it he watch us all leap aroung the front room squeiling and laughing!!!

come bed time we are all totall knackered!

Idobelieveinfairies · 26/04/2008 08:36

It's all up to he parent and child.....my children have various computer consoles! But as long as all homework/reading is completed without fuss, and as long their is no sunlight/good weather left in the sky they are allowed on them.

For car journeys they are great....i would go as far as to say i am a better driver for them .

badgermonkey · 26/04/2008 09:29

I have a DS and let my 8-yo niece play on it - I went out one day and found her curled up on the sofa with my mum playing sudoku together on it. Not exactly brain-rotting or anti-social! Some of the best times I've had recently have been playing multi-player games on DS or Wii. No different from playing a board game together imo, except maybe more innovative and fun!

PrincessConsualaBananaHammock · 26/04/2008 09:36

And the Wii is good for excercise!! I recently read that some schools in England where thinking of using them in P.E using Wii Sports and a W.I club thing used them.
See very good for all ages.
I musch prefer the Wii to my Nintendo DS TBH

moreJellothanJlo · 26/04/2008 09:58

I've got a nintendo ds lite for sale its white with 3 games (crazy frog racer, super mario and a star wars game) if you change you're mind!

ds is bored with it all now, he's not really into gaming

shatteredmumsrus · 26/04/2008 10:05

Sorry to take over thread - how much are you selling it for morejellothanJlo?

moreJellothanJlo · 26/04/2008 11:19

for £90 plus p&p

its in great condition, and it has a charger for it too!

sorry I can't sell it cheaper, ds is saving up £'s for his holidays!

WestCountryLass · 26/04/2008 11:27

DS and wii both fab in there own ways. My DS (6) does Brain Training and Lego Star Wars mainly, DD (4) likes Cooking Mama but she uses mine. Also think getting one each saves on arguements and good for infra-redding to play against each other.

The best thing we have bought though is the memory card so you can download the games, although more expensive than one game, DS can't lose the games and saves money in long run!

obimomkanobi · 26/04/2008 11:50

In japan they use Ds's for teaching/learning in schools.

And isn't there going to be a trial in scotland too?

Fairymum - I defy you to do brain training and not think that it's a 'quality' game!

And some of the spatial puzzle/tetris type games that you can buy are really challenging!

PosieParker · 26/04/2008 11:51

My boys play on games and they are rationed to 30 minutes or that or tv, per day. If you think dc's too young then he is!!

FairyMum · 26/04/2008 11:59

"Fairymum - I defy you to do brain training and not think that it's a 'quality' game!"

I gave birth a few weeks ago. I don't think I am currently up for brain training

mumeeee · 26/04/2008 12:00

No. She does not haveto have the same as everyone else.

FairyMum · 26/04/2008 12:05

agree. I am suprised how many children seem to have them. seems the less money a family have, the more likely that each child has one each sometimes. find it very strange.

moreJellothanJlo · 27/04/2008 08:51

really fairymum?

what a strange generilisation, so you are saying a lot of posters here whose kids have a ds each are in a family with less money?

what on earth do you base that one on?

FairyMum · 27/04/2008 09:12

Let's not discuss particular posters on this thread. I have my observations in RL. People who have little money often buy their children expensive toys. Nintendo is a really expensive toy. Even for a christmas present it is an expensive toy in my books and that's why I find it really strange why so many children have one and often one each. Let's face it, this is what people get into debt over. Over-spending thinking their children need to have everything.

2GIRLS · 27/04/2008 11:33

My dd's got one each for christmas, they were 6 and 7 and I think personally, that was a good age, I don't think dd2 would have been able to play the games so well if she had been younger.

Though they are totally addicted to them and I have to really limit the time they spend on them and shove them out the door to play.

You could get her one and see how she goes she might be good at it or she might lose interest in which case just put it away until she's a bit older.

sallystrawberry · 27/04/2008 11:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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