DS wants a Nintendo DS for Christmas - do I try to put him off it?

[jennymac]

DS (will be 6yr in Jan) has wanted a ds for a couple of years and I have managed to put him off thus far. However, he is asking again this year and I am wondering if I should just give in. Reasons for not wanting him to have one is (a) personal dislike of any computer type game - would rather see dc play with their toys, lego etc (for a few more years at least), (b) the cost - they are pretty expensive and look like nothing so would still have to get a few other things to make it look like Christmas! and (c) I'm not convinced that he would really use it that much anyway.

[fuzzpig]

DD is 6 and lots of her classmates also have their own iPods/touches as well as DSes. DD did ask if she could have her own one a while back and I just said "we've already got family ones that you can play" and that was the end of it :o

[sameoldIggi]

At almost 6 he should, usually, understand the concept of an expensive present versus lots of cheaper ones. Though I agree he would expect more than just the ds under the tree!
Mine got one for his 6th birthday. We haven't completely sorted the amount of time he should use it for, but there is no doubt that he loves it. He claims "everyone in the class has one" And while I doubt that is true, it is certainly something that helps him fit in at school.

[jelliebelly]

I've just bought a 2nd hand one from eBay £40 good as new - wrap it in a big box! It's just another toy really and if its something he really really wants I don't see the harm in it personally.

[crazykat]

I've just bought My eldest two a preowned DSi for £45 from Game to replace their DSlite. They go through phases of playing them all the time then hardly at all. They're brilliant when they can't play out when it's raining or on long journeys.

[chocolatespiders]

DD 10 still loves her I would buy one for him. Fire card holds lots of games

[Crutchlow35]

I got a second hand one on eBay for DS last year. He really likes it. He had educational games on it though. For something non educational he can play with the iPad.

[WantAnOrange]

If you do get one, we trade in old games/CDs/DVDs etc a few months before xmas and use the voucher to get DS a new game. Saves on the cost of providing new games for the thing, and they do make good stocking fillers! I would never buy them new though.

[youbethemummylion]

Havent got much time so havent read through but if you are still unsure you can get second hand DS lites often with games included for about £40ish on gumtree etc may be compromise so if he dosent end up using it you havrnt wasted that much money

[fuzzpig]

Oooh flibberty we had the same issue with our previous neighbour :( was happy to have him here (9yo) but basically stopped letting DD go there as she was just watching him play COD, black ops etc.

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Why would dd get a wii and ds not get a ds, if that were my children then the one wanting a ds would think it very unfair!

The two things are totally different. Wii you can play with other people, stand up, sit down, it sort of takes over the room you are in if its being used on the tv.

A ds on the other hand is a small, quiet thing that my children just like to go off in a corner with. We don't take them to restaurants but they can use them in the car because they are at an age where there's a lot of squabbling going on and I can't concentrate on driving if I am trying to referee whats going on in the back seat.

Daylight really affects the screen though they are not that good in a car during day journeys...!

Honestly, if he's been asking for one for two years, then at least he is consistent, and its not like he is asking for an xbox with shooting games like my neighbours son did last year and got it. So now I not only have to police my children's screen time but also stop them going in the neighbours house where the parents think its perfectly acceptable for 6,7,8 year olds to be playing adult war games on the xbox

[CancellingTheApocalypse]

About the small size of the present, we are getting DS an iPod touch which is tiny so I also have got him a lo lo ball from amazon for a tenner (a ball with a ring around the middle you stand and bounce on) which can go in a large wrapped box. It will look impressive and also counteract the sitting around on computer games as its a form of fun exercise!

[gingysmummy]

my ds was 7 on monday we got him one for his birthday (in a sale) and some games of amazon a lego one and f1,he had been going on for years about it he totally loves it and no on it all the time x2 15 min sessons a day.the look on his face was lovely remember to buy a charger tho as for some reason they don't come with one

[SavoyCabbage]

I made my dd wait until she was 9 and she doesn't play on it much.

Don't get him one if you don't want him to have one as once he has one, its going to be your job to monitor it.

[jennymac]

Jam - I agree with you about the restaurants - we go out for coffee and lunch a lot at weekends and friends have said that we would find the ds handy for that but personally I feel that is family time and I would rather use that time to chat to the kids rather than seeing their heads stuck in a console. Otherwise, what is the point in taking them out!

[jamtoast12]

I do think a wii is totally different to a DS though. A wii can be a social family device and can get them up and being active. Much better idea!

[jamtoast12]

Mine had ipod touches but I limit them to 40 min per day max (2x 20 min) but tbh I can't remember the last time mine went on them! I'd get one if he wants it but with strict controls.

E.g I actually don't let my kids use them in cars or restaurants as I think its important family time to chat etc, more so in restaurants during family meals - I hate seeing parents chatting and kids engrossed in technology when eating out. They can be anti social I think.

[ZombieBelle]

I gave DS my old one for his birthday (he's five) as he likes playing on my ipad and on the consoles. To be honest, he wasnt that taken with it and spent his time playing his other new toys. one week later, i think he's forgotten about it!

I dont think it would be fair though, to let santa give DD a Wii and not DS his umm DS especially when there isn't even that big an age gap between them. Unless you bought a wii as a family present and DD got something else

[jennymac]

Thanks lego for the link -£109 is a pretty good price. Still might try to talk him out of it for another year however as I'm not convinced that he would be that interested in it if he had one. I just think because he has seen my nephews with them it is something he shoud have it also - he first asked for it when he was 2! I have a kindle fire and my dd(7yrs) would ask to play games on it quite often but ds rarely wants to or if he does, gets bored after a couple of minutes. Dd is thinking of asking Santa for a wii this year, so if she gets that it might satisfy ds re his gaming needs till next Christmas.

[LegoAcupuncture]

If you're not sure on the size, Nintendo are bringing out a 2DS next month which is completely flat, no flip screen and you can also pay the new 3ds games on it but without the 3ds effect which isn't good for children under 7. The price is cheaper as well, only £109 or so.

Here

[ladygoingGaga]

My DS has one, he loves it. Begs to go on it, but I restrict it to weekends, holiday and its really useful for the car!
I bought a new one, but buy all the games off ebay, and never pay more than about 7 or 8 pounds for a game.

[TheOnlyPink]

My ds got one last christmas, he was 5. I had told him running up to christmas that if he wanted it that he probably wasnt going to get mch else as it was very hard for the elves to make, the tiny camera and the screens etc, and they wouldnt have time to make him anything else. He was more than understanding about it, and his pile was very small (especially compared to his 1 year old brother!) but he was thrilled with it. Quality over quantity!

He doesnt play with it a whole lot, when he gets a new game he spends a few days wanting it all the time, but then he goes back to the lego etc. He might play it for a while at the weekends or if we are going somewhere boring, but its not a struggle to keep him away from it, its just like any other toy that he loves and he plays it as part of the rotation!

I would say it is huge value for money!

[Doshusallie]

Both mine have had one for a couple of years. They are 7 and 9. They use them ALOT, because I keep them and all the games in the car and they play with them when we are driving somewhere.

[OnChickWatch]

You can pick up a second hand ds very very cheaply now, I think they have dramatically reduced in popularity since the iPad/tablet arrived.

[TippiShagpile]

My dc had them at 7. They get 20 minutes on it each day at the weekend (none during the week). Tbh, they're not that bothered by them and would rather go and play outside but letting them have them has stopped them pestering.

[Madamecastafiore]

DS had one at 5, can take or leave computer games. BIL refused to let nephew have any electronic games until age 10 and the kid is totally obsessed.

DS's Xbox can go unused for weeks but we have the nephew round and it is hell to get him of the bloody thing.