"Why have I got not lots" of presents :(

[Bumperlicioso]

Gah! Dd1's 4th birthday today. Took her downstairs to get her presents. There was a pile of four presents on the arm chair. Dd obviously expected a big mountain and said "Why have I got not lots?".

I did explain that actually she has got more presents (they were in the cupboard) but as she is going to preschool this morning there wasn't time to open them all. She had a big present (a bike) from grandma yesterday, as well as a build a bear with some money I knew she had coming from nana.

I don't know what I feel more sad about, the fact that she has come to expect a big mountain of presents or the fact that she was disappointed and I could have put a big pile of presents out!

The thing is we haven't spoiled her. Her presents from us were some roller skates and pads, both £3 each from the nct sale, and a Diego toy from eBay. The othe presents are from friend's and family. My mum tends to spoil her. We met yesterday at a shopping centre (half way point) and she was still buying her stuff despite my protests.

Tell me this is just four year old lack of inhibition! I don't want her to be obsessed with presents. I feel a bit sad, that she was disappointed and that she expected more.

Sorry for the disjointed post. Am posting in the middle of the present detritus and trying to feed dd2 at the same time. Dd1 is happily playing with her presents btw.

I would forget about it. If she is playing happily now, just concentrate on that.

Ah, she's probably remembering back to Christmas when presumably there were more presents piled up. I wouldn't worry about it. Hope she has a lovely day

dont worry OP. I think children dont care what they get so long as there is a pile of it. You could individually wrap lego and they would love it. Kids are fickle little things.

Ah, she will have seen a book or film or something where someone comes down to a mountain of presents... Nothing you can do now except get her enthused about her actual presents. FWIW I think it's worth talking about expectations before the day - eg we talked quite a lot with dd that she might not get a bike and it might be a different one anyway...

But you can't second-guess everything. I remember dd with that crush of disappointment (but being ever so polite) when I got her a mermaid costume but it wasn''t what she was expecting. Similar when she went to Rainbows - had tried to prep - but she still looked crestfallen 'we just played games'. i gave her big hugs and 'let' her be sad but reminded her about the good stuff and told her she might feel ldifferently the next day. And she did! The fact your dd is happily playing shows she isn't spoilt, just was expecting something else. Not your fault (is awful heartbreaing though, isn;t it?)

Thanks for the replies. I guess she does't yet make the connection between getting presents and people having to buy them. I should just make the most of this stage when she doesn't notice or care about things that are second hand!

They do pick up a lot of unhelpful expectations from peers.

small girls & presents... My DD1 was like this at Christmas, and I even started a thread about it and lots of posters said that 4 year olds are like this and not to take it personally

DD has just had her 5th birthday and this time, instead of buying carefully thought out, worthy toys (lego, etc.) I went to Poundland and stocked up on glittery pink plastic crap toys. She literally screamed with delight and ran round the room before saying she'd never, ever been so happy in her life

There's a lesson in there somewhere, not quite sure what it is!