What ages did you get your kids game consoles?

27 replies

Frankkieboo1 · 25/11/2025 11:50

Such as Xbox, PlayStation

This isnt for me. Im just wondering am I a strict uptight mum. I seen a tik tok of someone showing what they got their kids for christmas, she says for her 5 year old his big present is an Xbox?

I was a bit shocked as she then mentions, his birthday was in summer so he got some toys then. But an Xbox for a 5 year old isnt that a bit young?

My eldest is 4 (just turned last week( and I couldn't imagine getting him an Xbox for christmas next year!

We have an amazon fire tablet for long car journys but it only has disney plus on with favourite movies and shows downloaded and he doesnt even know how to work that i have to do it so I couldn't imagine hed be able to do games etc

Am I uptight or is that a bit young!

A family friends boy got his at 8 which i thought is standard age if they ask for it. Will try and stave off game consoles if I can

OP posts:

Sofasu · 25/11/2025 15:33

Mine are adults, late 20s now. They got a nintendo at 7 and xbox at 10.

If I was parenting again I would hold off much, much longer.

DC were and are bright, high achieving, hard working boys.
No matter what good intentions you have or promises the DC make they are so addictive. I set strict time limits and they had timers on at all times. Never before school and always some free days. They hated the rules and would have gamed day and night without them.
As adults one still games occasionally the other hasn't bothered since he went to uni.

GasPanic · 25/11/2025 15:33

Frankkieboo1 · 25/11/2025 12:48

Quite varied ! But yes it does depend I guess as some adults still game. My friends brother does and actually took the night shift off his wife for their newborn (when the baby was newborn) would game and do the bottles/settle baby back down lol. So in those cases kids may get them earlier I guess as its in the house!

We dont have any and DS' older cousins are an hours drive away so we see them once a month and usually meet at grandparents house so he wont really see any!

I would like to be console free for as long as possible but I did just wonder if im uptight

It may be a contrary opinion.

But to me if he isn't asking for one then you aren't "being uptight" by not getting him one.

If you buy him one now and it sits around for 2-3 years before he gets interested then you are just wasting money. Because kids really want to be on the latest and greatest stuff that all their mates are on once the peer pressure starts to apply, so the lifetime of these things is finite, and having an older one that none of your mates play on is as bad as not having one at all.

I'm pretty sure parents get a lot of pestering when their kids actually want one of these things. You know when they are ready for one.

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