Is it odd that 4yo doesn't understand the question what would you like for Christmas?

[CairoPrankster]

I knew he wouldn't understand so I tried to make the question as simple as I could and have tried in several different ways to ask it - "What would you like Santa to bring you?" "Are there any toys that you would really like to have?" I have even gone through catalogues like Mulberry Bush with him, trying not to lead him but to see if he spots anything that he would really like. He loves looking at the toys and pointing out the ones he has or that are in school but never once has expressed a wish to own any of them.

I don't really have any behavioural or developmental concerns for him but I do find things like this strange as I remember his older brother had long lists of things he wanted at this age. DS2 does love getting presents and always opens them with wonder and surprise - he is a delight to buy for because he will play for hours with whatever he is given.

I'm not even stuck for ideas on what to buy him as I know that he loves board games and puzzles - anything that he can engage the whole family into playing with him.

Well it is a bit unusual that he never asks for anything. Is it just Christmas that he is like this with or does he never ask for anything?

My DD1 was like this at 4. The only thing she wanted for Christmas was a skipping rope because she'd seen Father Christmas bring one on Peppa Pig. Last year was a bit like that too. I think she was a bit intimidated by Christmas in general and FC in particular. Like your DS she was delighted with whatever she was given.

Now at 6 she is making up for it with 'I'm having that for Christmas' every 30 seconds when watching TV and going catalogues. Unfortunately her younger sister, aged 3, just loves Christmas and echoes her big sister. DD2 is very particular about what she wants.

I don't know how I'm going to survive until the 25th of December.

Hi, thanks for the replies.
Once I wrote it down and read it back his behaviour didn't seem that odd really.
No he never asks for anything but he only watches cbeebees and I have a mortal phobia of toy shops so he has no real concept of what is on offer.
He does ask the most adorable questions about Christmas though and he is very definate that it happens in winter which starts in December.

If its any help, when dd was 4 she asked for juice for Christmas...

I could have written your post. DS is nearly 6 and he has been like this at every Christmas and birthday. He shows no signs of changing this year either. I have no concerns about him, and neither do his teachers, other family members etc. He is so easy to buy for too, as I know what he likes, which is basically imaginative and roleplay toys.

ds2 is 6 and he's like this!

if you ask him what he'd like he often will look round the room and just say random things connected with what he can see or things he knows his older brother wants.

like your little boy he is easy to buy for though as he loves anything you get him :)

I feel so happy to have such an easy happy little boy, thanks all. I have spent the day reading mn and and lots of stories about very difficult kids. It does seem odd to have an easy one in the context of mn.
I will have to end my smug post now before I am run out of town

Last year I asked my then-4-yo what she would like for Christmas, and she looked slightly bewildered and said, 'a present'. This year she's been a bit more specific.

DS1 is nearly 8 and says he wants a surprise for Christmas. He'll almost never ask me to buy him something if we're in a toy shop - it just doesn't seem to occur to him. DD on the other hand...!

My dc (now 13, 10 and 6) have never really done that much asking for presents. We don't have a TV for the ads which may help.

But at 4yo if they were ever asked what they wanted for Christmas they looked totally blank, and if pushed might suggest something like "you reading me a story".

Now the older two would sometimes be able to think of one or two things, but not if put on the spot. It would be more along the lines of standard conversation.

Mine did not ask for presents at 4 and we had no tv advertising which now seems to be how children find out about toys. I chose their presents and chose things that had longevity and they loved. Children do not always have firm ideas about what they want and I was glad not to be pestered for tat. When they were older they did have ideas and that was fine too.

My 5 year old is like this she always just says 'a present' or thinks of the last thing she saw or heard about. This year for the first time she is more aware and asking for everything she sees on TV (we don't often watch the channel with toy ads luckily), she comes home from school with random requests that I am sure she has overheard from other kids.

Can't remember the last time she was in Toys R Us, she would be shocked at the amount of different toys you can get!

I am mean and hide the toy catalogues because DD would never sit and choose something special it would overwhelm her and she would just say she wanted everything on every page.

I just tell her santa knows what she wants/the best toys for her etc

My two are like this, too. 6 year old has suddenly realised she can ask for things and now wants a Furby. Long may it last OP!

I'd like him to start asking for a puppy so I can add him to my side on the great can we have a puppy debate that has been raging for years in our house