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Do you buy what your child wants even if you think it's crap?

120 replies

ThoughtfulPenny · 10/11/2015 22:15

As the title says really.
My four year old wants the elsa snow shooting sleeve for Xmas. It's £30 so won't break the bank and it's the only thing she's repeatedly mentioned. However, it looks crap, the reviews are all crap and I think it's going to be a total waste of money BUT I don't want her to feel that father Xmas didn't bring her the one thing she wanted...
WWYD?

OP posts:
SpikeWithoutASoul · 11/11/2015 09:23

Another one for the Mr Frosty Deprivation support group. Sad Agree with others, tat for Christmas is all part of the fun.

EsmesBees · 11/11/2015 09:27

I went on about the lack of a Mr Frosty for many Christmases. So much so my parents bought me one from a school bazaar when I was about 15 as a joke. I was not amused.

EsmesBees · 11/11/2015 09:28

I was also desperate for one of those play kitchens with the tiny fake tins. I can see why they didn't get me one know, we had a tiny house, but at the time it was terrible.

Etak15 · 11/11/2015 09:29

I wanted a mr frosty too! Dd2 has seen this thing advertised yesturday it's a pretend icecream maker for the bath -for her birthday you make bubble icecreams its £20 looks like it's worth about £2! It is on Argos 3 for 2 deal though so she might get lucky! Think is its for age 18 months - she's 6!

GardeningWithDynamite · 11/11/2015 09:44

Add me to the Mr Frosty list. My parents actually knew someone who'd got one and they knew it was rubbish. They got me a Mr Fruity instead like this. I did use it for a while.

JimmyGreavesMoustache · 11/11/2015 09:52

depends both on price and degree of crapness
if I can stretch to getting a second present that I think will have better longevity, then I get the crap one and something decent.

we do have a "really? are you absolutely sure?"" first though. And from the age of 7 dd1 has occasionally been swayed - not by me, obviously - but by hilariously bad amazon reviews. The chocolate coin maker was a good case in point, and we agreed to do some chocolate making separately.

and like* PrincessHairyMclary, we've also used the arrival of stuff that mummy definitely won't buy as proof of the existence of Santa.

cantgonofurther · 11/11/2015 09:53

No I don't. We have enough people buying them crap. I have a 3 year old and when these adverts come on I say "that looks silly" etc. She still doesn't understand father Christmas though so easier not to buy rubbish toys.

Twistedheartache · 11/11/2015 10:28

Yes to the bath ice cream maker - my nearly 5 year old really wants it too

Etak15 · 11/11/2015 10:54

It does actually look quite fun I think all mine would fight over it Like to play with it in the bath.

LetThereBeCupcakes · 11/11/2015 11:08

I had a Mr Frosty and I bloody loved it! Grin

The only thing on DS's list so far is toast. The joys of being 2, eh? Maybe I'll get him a Mr Frosty instead.

ScrappyMalloy · 11/11/2015 11:25

I didn't get a Mr Frosty either Sad

Nor did I get my Dad to build a real bus for me so I could drive around the village picking up my friends and go on adventures. Parents, eh?

My CD had a Mr Frosty (bought by Granny) but it only came out of the box once, as it was rubbish.

To answer the question, I usually buy the requested tat, as long as the price was reasonable.

BlueStarsAtNight · 11/11/2015 12:03

My eldest is only 3 but fully understands Father Christmas, and he's asked for just one specific playset which I know will be a 5-minute wonder, and doesn't have great reviews, but I've bought it anyway. I had a Mr Frosty, after years of begging, and only ever really used it when my friends were over and desperate to play with it - the ice and syrups were pretty foul!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 11/11/2015 12:15

Depends. If it's not too expensive and I think there's a reasonable chance they'll play with it, then I'll buy it. But I've been stung before - I do like to make sure that DS1 really really REALLY wants something, so he has to have been asking for the same thing for at least half the year and persistently wanting the same item - which IS what happened with the godawful Batmobile that shoots weapons, and he still only played with it about twice and then ignored it. That wasn't cheap, either.

Things he's been really really excited to receive - eventually getting Bullseye to go with Woody and Buzz, for e.g. - still don't get played with. Although DS2 is now of an age where he's finding all these toys and playing with them himself, so I'm not quite so sore about it now! Grin

Dragons have been the only sure-fire winner so far; but I think he's even losing interest in those now - but again, Ds2 is having a ball with them :)

So far this year, DS1 hasn't asked for much but he suddenly decided he wanted a plastic robodog thing - a Zoomer interactive. I don't think I can get that, it's too expensive for what it is and to be ignored after a few days. So he'd better find something else to ask FC for, because FC won't be bringing one of those!

zipzap · 11/11/2015 12:19

Another one here who wanted a Mr Frosty and didn't get one...

Did you know that you can still get them - they've evolved a bit but I suspect they're still crap but that's not the point

www.amazon.co.uk/Funskool-2881205720-Mr-Frosty-Playset/dp/B00652BOS4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447243968&sr=8-1&keywords=mr+Frosty

Or you could just make some ice in the freezer and invest in a bottle of the slushy syrup stuff instead, bash your own ice and squirt in the slushy syrup to make your own slushy drinks Xmas Grin Maybe with one of those slushy cups that were advertised lots a couple of years back (no idea if they actually work - my Mr-Frosty-wanting self wants to believe they do!)

AGrinWithoutACat · 11/11/2015 12:21

I did get a Mr Frosty Grin, can't remember the syrups but did use ribena instead which worked. I like today's alternatives though of the slushy cups

I very reluctantly buy the plastic toys when I don't think they are worth the money but try and get them on deals, was in Tescos this morning trying to decide if I could get away with the transformers on the buy 2 for £15 or if I am going to have to suck it up and buy the more expensive ones but at least I can double the club card vouchers

BluePancakes · 11/11/2015 12:33

See, I did get a Mr Frosty one year and loved it, but was traumatised when I found out my mum had given it to the school's Blue Peter Bring & Buy sale. Sad

Gileswithachainsaw · 11/11/2015 12:40

No I don't.

granted dd does get disappointed but, the way I see it is the disappointment of something she can't use or is shit and not what she thought it was at all would be worse.

we aren't destitute however we don't have Money waste on cheap or expensive crap that clutters up the house and won't get used.

so far she has been talked out of a 3d pen and a chocolate pen.

cab garuntee they will be shit and too tricky to use

Thurlow · 11/11/2015 12:41

It depends. DD has asked, unsurprisingly, for that sodding recording and singing Elsa doll. No way, absolutely no way am I buying that. £40!

Fortunately she understands when things are "too many pennies" so she understands Father Christmas won't be getting that.

I will buy her some other Frozen tat though.

KondosSecretJunkRoom · 11/11/2015 12:45

Yeah, sometimes. We got the doggy doo game last year and it was as bad as I though it would be. I don't mind. Dh and I spend plenty of money on useless, unworthy shit like wine and magazines so I don't begrudge them a bit of plastic tat at Christmas.

booksrock · 11/11/2015 12:46

if its reasonable then yes.

I can't forget how excited my 4 year old ds was at getting his remote controlled lightening McQueen and even though at 6 he is now much too big for it, it still sits on his bedroom shelf.

This years request of lego (easy) and 'Tron' (not made any more) stuff maybe harder to facilitate.

KondosSecretJunkRoom · 11/11/2015 12:46

(I did get a Mr Frosty when I was a kid - it was awesome!)

sighthoundofdoom · 11/11/2015 12:49

Another member of Mr Frosty deprivation group here. I thought i would say yes absoloutely Christmas is a time for tat but actually i vetoed the chocolate coin maker. Shes going to be on herr comolaining in 15 years isnt she Grin

sighthoundofdoom · 11/11/2015 12:53

*complaining

maryann1975 · 11/11/2015 14:04

I had to wait till I left home and then Father Christmas gave me a Mr frosty. My brother also got the thing he had been deprived of all his childhood. (I can't remember what that was though) and we see both disappointed. I kept it in the cupboard under the sink for a few years, I think it moved house with us twice as I couldn't bear to tell my mum I had chucked it away. When I finally did get rid of it, I got the 'I told you so' look from mum who knew it would be a waste of money.
Dd wanted a particular Barbie doll last year. I thought she was getting to old for barbies but she got it anyway. It's still sat in her drawer unplayed with apart from a brief spell on Christmas day but she won't get rid (maybe she knows she will get 'I told you so' look)

ijustwannadance · 11/11/2015 14:20

Only sometimes. Last year it was the game operation. Xmas day came, put in batteries and she refused to touch it as she was scared of it buzzing. Confused

This year she asked for the orbeez foot spar but she's not getting one as she just wants to mess with the coloured gel balls that expand in water. No interest at all in the foot spa itself.

Also not buying the game poopyhead. Just no.

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