Santa won't be bringing an IPad

[7ways]

This has probably been done before so sorry!

5 yo wants an iPad - it’s all shes asked for. We’ve decided it’s not going to happen this year. How do I explain why Santa won’t be bringing one? And more so, how do I explain why some of her friends did get one (I know they will be)

She will think she hasn’t been ‘as good’ as them and so on!

Any advice appreciated.

Really wasn’t ready for all this so young!

What are your reasons for not getting her one? Maybe these could be spun into a child appropriate answer? Maybe you could try and spin it that Santa only brings the presents he thinks the child is ready for and whilst she has been very good this year, he thinks something like an iPad isn't what she really needs this year and he's sent her another, very special present that he thinks is just right. Possibly a special letter from santa? Honestly I have no idea, my daughter is just under 1 and I have never had to deal with things like this.

I have a 2yo and I and my dh agreed we'll delay any tech gadgets until he's 7. Your LO gotta have some other favorite stuff for Christmas, so give that. There are a lot of toys equally fun to play with.

Tell her you’ve told Santa not get one because of what ever your reasons are for not wanting her to have one.

Could you get someone to write to her from "Santa" telling her he's decided it's a no for now?

I'll send a letter if you like?

Why does it have to be Santa? You could say Santa doesn't bring tech, and you think it's too expensive right now. I'm just thinking from the point of view that my 4year old would understand that (mostly). But if her friends say Santa brought them an iPad it could get confusing. I do like the idea what somebody mentioned, that Santa brings gifts that he thinks they're ready for.

Santa can't do electronics. The magic of the sleigh messes with them and breaks them (a bit like Hogwarts). Tgats how it works in our house anyway.

Santa only brings age appropriate toys that aren't too expensive. Parents have the final say in this house on what santa bring so he never brought an ipad here either. Does she even know the difference between an ipad and a bog standard cheaper tablet?

My kids have always been told no when they ask for super expensive or daft stuff at Christmas, it's never ruined their enjoyment of the day and what they are subsequently bought.

In our house santa gas never delivered tech or gadgets, his elves build toys :)

Love these replies thank you so much!

Ha, I did flippantly say the other day that ‘Santa didn’t ‘do’ Ipads’ but I know I need to be prepared for getting grilled about that!

My ds (7) said he was asking Santa for a PS4. I reminded him our house rule for consoles is that any that come in to our house are for everyone to share. No one will get a large console to themselves; his sister is too young to use it and myself and his dad don’t have the time to play on it so it would end up not being for everyone. I told him Santa will bring him some things he asks for but will not break the house rules. He seemed to accept this and has asked for a £40 Lego set instead.

Can you come up with a similar story that would work?

We say Santa's budget comes from parents so if we say no/can't afford then santa can't either.

I know it's not very magical, but they've always been happy to think of something small and doable to ask for. Also they've never had issues about what friends are getting.

Santa doesn't do Apple products because their patents and trademarks are so tight that his elves will get in trouble for making them. Worked in our house (of copyright lawyers)
Santa also doesn't do live animals fyi

Santa doesn’t do electrical stuff in our house. Plus mummy has to give Santa money for what he brings so it can only be what we can afford. (Puts to bed the kind of musings that go ‘well if an Xbox is too expensive for my birthday then I’ll ask Santa to just make one at Christmas...’)

We told ours that Santa uses our cash to pay for the presents so if we can't afford it neither will he. A cheaper tablet maybe or are you against screens altogether?

In our house mums and dads pay for/buy the presents Father Christmas delivers them.

We have always told them the same and now they are getting older they don’t question it.

We have always had a huge clear out before Christmas and any decent toys/clothes/games etc go to the charity shop for families who have a smaller budget to buy.

Is it all screens that you would prefer your DD not to have or is it just iPads?

Could santa stretch to an iPod? And explain he wanted her to have some toys as well?

What makes you think that they can handle technology aged 7. My DC are using iPads in school from aged 4.
You are putting them at a disadvantage.
Even if it's just educational games. At least they will be able to function like Thier peers.

IceBearRocks well, if they use them in school from age 4 then not having one at home will not be a disadvantage will it?

Get a leap pad ? Santa thinks they are more fun? (And robust)

I will just say my eldest DD who is almost 8 used to have homework set to her that was online via an app at her previous school.

We are laid back in terms of TV/Tablets etc and both of our DD’s have their own tablets (amazon fires) but have certain ground rules about using them.

Mine are older now but I used to tell them that Santander had to check with parents before choosing gifts.
We had a similar scenario as we've been much less keen to have electronics than average.

Exactly cutebaba, mine haven't been remotely disadvantaged by no ipad at home. They're not exactly difficult to use anyway.

I don’t know if this helps you but in our house Santa fills their stockings and Christmas Eve box (nothing fancy, just a few treats and pyjamas) but we buy their actual presents. We do it this way so that if they get more or less or whatever than their friends then they understand it’s Mum and Dad that have paid for their presents, not Santa.

Santa only delivers the stockings in our house. There are now so many boys and girls in the world that a year simply isn’t enough time to build toys for everyone so he delivers just a stocking for everyone. So Christmas presents are from the person who is giving it and the stocking is from Santa. He gets to write a list of wished for items and depending on the size and price will decide what he gets from the list.

I have always told DD that I have to pay santa to make big or expensive presents. For years she though I had santa's mobile number to discuss this with him