to not let DS1 have a quad bike

[frightstick]

I'm over analyzing but here goes anyway.

DS1 is 3.5. He has his heart set on Father Christmas bringing him one of those battery operated Quad bikes which are about £150. FIL has said that he will buy him one. It would make him so very happy but I don't want him to have one for the following reasons.

• We are living in a rented house and, while we have room for him to ride it and store it now, we may not have in the future.

• I worry about him having everything he wants. If he gets this at 3.5 what is he going to expect later on (cue childhood angst over never getting a Sindy House). I don't want to raise a spoilt brat.

• DS2 is only 8 months and, if FIL was going to buy a big present like that, I'd rather he did it at a time when both of them were old enough to enjoy it. I worry that DS1 will get all the good stuff to himself and DS2 will only ever be allowed to play with them as handmedowns.

• I would rather FIL bought him an overpriced wooden fire station and engine because I think it looks lovely.

My husband and FIL say I'm being miserable.

Feel free to agree with them.

Oh and also, I just worry that it will be a nightmare for me as he'll always want to go on it and I won't have the time to supervise him properly.

Nope, agree with you. 3.5 will get on very well with any kind of self-propelled (ie scoot-along) vehicle; if he stops, it will too.

Quad bikes dangerous & unnecessary for little ones.

HTH

We gave DD one for her 2nd birthday BUT we have a huge garden and a farmyard at the back of our house, I don't hink I would have bought her one if we had to take it everywhere to use it. H

Where will he ride it?

Our garden is big (over 100 ft) so he could ride it up and down there, but to be honest I think it will be more trouble that it's worth. Surely they are meant for children with a spare field!

DH is always buying ridiculously impractical presents because deep down he would like one. When we lived in a much smaller house with no garden DH bought DS (who was 2 at the time) a miniature cricket bat complete with LEATHER cricket ball !

I agree with your husband and father in law - a bit unfair to say child A can't have something because child B won't be able to use it for a while

oh go ON, he'll have so much fun

DS loves sitting on DD's quad bike and DH goes of with him, but 100ft garden is still small.

lol at 100ft garden being small

listen, we have a 12 foot garden and I still got ds one of those plastic (pushalong) motorbike things when he was 2 and he LOVED it (ok, not a patch on a quad bike but you know what i mean!)

can't see the problem if they want to get it for him

Get him a bike or a like-a-bike instead.

I don't understand the fascination with the battery powered bikes/cars/quads etc.

I prefer my DC to be out running around, using up energy (getting tired out).

I take it we're not talking about one of those things that notoriously flip over and kill people?

As a kid of a divorced mum who had very little and now a divorcee with 2 DC myself, I have to say I'd let him have it as long as there were no unreasonable risks to his safety.

I'd love one still (its my birthday in a week, is 45 too old?!). well, yes, its too late for me and time flies... they're only young once and only get a certain amount of time to have such toys before they're too big.

I am sure that as you are conscious of the pitfalls of raising a spoilt child your won't be like that and will appreciate what they have, no matter how much is spent on them. My DDs have a friend here at present, from a well off family - she's 14 and gets a lot of material goods but is far from a spoilt brat.

Yes, you MIGHT move... but who's to say it won't be to a home which can accomodate the bike.

Besides, with respect if the in-laws can afford this for your lad, I'd imagine that when your babe is older they will do much the same for him. Your FIL sounds lovely! Again, my 2 don't see my ex MIL and my FIL died before I met my ex - consider your kids lucky and accept... go on Mum!

whats wrong with something like this? ds2 has one and loves it,we don't even have a garden!!

Vallhala had a go on one of these they are great and I am 34 lol

Lady... if you DARE tell my 12 yo DD about those I will search you out and throttle you! (Or at least tell you to buy it for -me- her!).

How cool is that!

Vallhalla, you make good points.

My husband's theory is that you have the rest of your life to have your hopes and dreams crushed underfoot so why start at 3

sends secret message

Vallhala of course I wouldn't tell her lol

Mind you they are brilliant!! when I say I had a go I mean I was riding it round a car park (everyone rides there on a sunday) and it is excellent..

YANBU.

I think a bicycle would be much nicer, tbh.

But I do think YABU to say oldest can´t have something because youngest is too young to use it.

My dgs has a mini quad bike and finds it very boring indeed-he has abandoned it totally in favour of a pedal tractor and a balance bike[I didnt buy any of these btw]I did buy a lovey wooden padded ride-on bee which has hardly been looked at.[Kids seem to have too many big toys these days]