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Original poster

I messed up with her presents didn’t I?

43 replies

Hocuspocusnonsense · 27/12/2023 13:15

I have a lovely 7 year old DD. Her list for Santa is always long and has lots of things she’s seen advertised on TV

This year she had the following….

Bluey toy kitchen
happy napper
Vtech globe
Lets go pink gecko
Magic mixies lamp
book on space
slippers
Barbie dreamhouse
lots of magic mixies stuff
Lots of surprises
and some other stuff I can’t temembet

She received the gecko, magic mixies lamp, slippers, book on space and the Barbie dream house plus a new Barbie doll, a remote control skating girl, a set of those little animals you colour and wash and can recolour, a hooded blanket, slime, a new personalised notebook, a game.

Bur she’s disappointed she didn’t get the Bluey kitchen, really disappointed 😳 Barbie dream house hasn’t been touched since Christmas Day.

What would you do? I’m really tempted to tell her we can’t return it to Santa but we can sell it (in reality I’ll dismantle and return to Smyths) and replace with Bluey kitchen and keep the difference which will be about £140!

I thought the Bluey kitchen was a passing thing and didn’t realise how much she wanted it. Also it’s tiny isn’t it and more suited to a 3/4 year old? I am kicking myself about the globe because I almost bought it but after buying the dream house I didn’t have the budget of £80 for the globe.

Posting on this board because I don’t need posters to say she’s ungrateful, she hasn’t said much at all but I know she’s disappointed and would rather have received the Bluey kitchen then the dream house.

OP posts:
Combusting · 27/12/2023 14:40

Mum of an 8 year old and a nearly 4 year old here.

We don’t do Santa or lists - but my main advice would be that this is the start of many teachable moments and conversations, about not always getting everything you want and so on. It’s also perhaps a lesson to you for the future in expectation management - and watch what you are communicating to her with the list making. Are you taking the opportunities to really communicate to her that the list is not a guarantee, but a set of options from which a few might be selected?

As a household where presents come from people - not Santa - we ask the kids what they might like before birthdays and Christmas and make sure they know that their inputs will be taken into consideration but not followed to the last letter. Christmas isn’t any less magical around ours.

Avacardo2023 · 27/12/2023 14:47

The Bluey kitchen is tiny, it's for 2-3 year olds. There are a few secondhand ones on FB marketplace and eBay but I definitely wouldn't buy one for a seven year old.

If she keeps mentioning it you could send her a letter from Santa apologising for the lack of Bluey kitchen but he had to use all his stock for the babies and knew she would prefer her big girl's Barbie dreamhouse.

Marchitectmummy · 27/12/2023 14:49

Hhhm Bluey kitchen is aimed at toddlers are you sure it's not far too young for her?

Play kitchens at her age are more doll based such as Our Generation.

Suspect she would be bored in a minute with tbr Bluey kitchen.

MuddledMadge · 27/12/2023 15:04

You might not be able to get the Bluey kitchen now anyway. It's out of stock in a lot of places. I bet she'll come round to the Barbie Dreamhouse. My ds hasn't played with everything yet.

belgiumchocolates · 27/12/2023 15:14

You havn't messed up at all OP you got your DD lovely presents

StrawberryJellyBelly · 27/12/2023 15:24

Op, I wouldn’t pander to this. Just carry on as normal and it will only be a few days before your DD is playing with the Barbie House. And if she isn’t? Well that’s her choice. End of.

Sunriseandcoffee · 27/12/2023 15:30

You are amazing and she should try to be grateful for all that she did receive. A little disappointment never hurt anyone.

Did she get any Christmas money? She could buy the kitchen with that if she really wanted it. If the Bluey kitchen is anything like the Peppa Pig kitchen (plastic and rickety), i wouldn't think it would be that great for older children.

Also as other posters said, maybe don't sell the Dream House yet. Give her some time to discover it.

Newsenmum · 27/12/2023 15:32

When’s her birthday? You didn’t mess up op children need to learn that they can’t get everything. You got her a lot on her list! Just give it some time. And if she still wants it by her birthday you can get it.

Floooooof · 27/12/2023 15:38

I think managing expectations is important. I told ds about 100 times that he wouldn't get certain items on his list, I told him santa has a budget to stick to. He has massive overheads to think about and the cost of raw materials has rocketed 😅it was a couple of really expensive items I knew he won't play with and didn't want to waste the money

DoorPath · 27/12/2023 15:44

Gosh, I would never encourage my DC to make such a long list - it's a recipe for disappointment. Mine ask for two things plus a surprise each, and they actually get 7-8 things in total from Santa (so 5-6 surprises each). I write down a list of things I notice them liking throughout the year, and often buy from this list of mine. This means they are always surprised and delighted on Christmas morning!

Calliopespa · 27/12/2023 16:03

Sorry OP it’s gone this way as you clearly put together a generous bundle and made an effort. She can’t help her feelings of disappointment, but it’s not your fault either. I do think there is truth in it being good for children to learn to handle disappointment. When is her birthday? Or could you explain we sometimes have to find ways to contribute to getting what we want and help her start a fund which she can contribute to by doing little chores? That could start as soon as today so she feels it is at least on the horizon even if she doesn’t have it yet. Personally I don’t think it is necessarily too young for her. While aimed at younger children, it is essentially a crutch for imaginative play which she will pitch at the appropriate level.

Calliopespa · 27/12/2023 16:04

Calliopespa · 27/12/2023 16:03

Sorry OP it’s gone this way as you clearly put together a generous bundle and made an effort. She can’t help her feelings of disappointment, but it’s not your fault either. I do think there is truth in it being good for children to learn to handle disappointment. When is her birthday? Or could you explain we sometimes have to find ways to contribute to getting what we want and help her start a fund which she can contribute to by doing little chores? That could start as soon as today so she feels it is at least on the horizon even if she doesn’t have it yet. Personally I don’t think it is necessarily too young for her. While aimed at younger children, it is essentially a crutch for imaginative play which she will pitch at the appropriate level.

Ps it’s not as though she’s been neglected. It was a lovely list of things you got her.

LoreleiG · 27/12/2023 16:08

Don’t send back the dream house! She will love that soon. I agree with the suggestion to use some Christmas money to find a secondhand bluey kitchen. Or take her to see one in a toy shop and she can see how small it is. The Bluey merch is so appealing, even my ten year old wanted some but he too would have been bored with it in a few minutes and it would have been a waste of money.

moonbeammagic · 27/12/2023 16:10

You didn't mess up. You bought presents from her list - she didn't get everything but she got some things, she got enough. If you had gone completely rogue and bought things that she had no interest in, I would agree with you but you didn't. She's 7 which is old enough to learn to appreciate what she has been given and be grateful. If you are still doing the Santa thing, perhaps this is a good time to stop.

dottiedodah · 27/12/2023 16:30

Sometimes kids can get a little overwhelmed with all the choices at Christmas.There is so much to choose from and they will naturally want what they didnt get! I think the Barbie house will be a better deal in the long run

NeverMindIGuess · 27/12/2023 16:51

You haven't messed up OP.
She's been swept up into the Christmas period and sometimes kids do fixate on a random toy. Everyone does Santa differently, we have 1 small gift from Santa and the rest comes from us. I don't even remember how Santa worked when I was a kid.

She will in time, move past the Bluey toy. Just tell her it's okay to be disappointed by things, and just let her process it. She's probably a little overwhelmed by everything and this is how it's coming out.

Prinnny · 27/12/2023 16:58

My friend got her 18MO the Bluey kitchen so I think the Barbie dream house is much more appropriate for a 7YO. I’m sure she’ll come to love it!

starfishmummy · 27/12/2023 17:40

Its only the 27th so she's had the Barbie house thing 2 days and you're already moaning that she hasn't played with it? Maybe give her some time!

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