i hate the way parents buy BIG presents for no reason at all( like nintendos)

[FluffyMummy123]

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tamun-in here?? in where??

Hmm, I'm going to be brave, stick my head above the parapet here...

Firstly, I HATE things like nintendos, wiis, gameboys etc - we don't have any, and I don't intend getting any (ds1 is only 6 though, so I may be being self-righteous and have to eat my words).

BUT, we tend to get bigger things (like say a bike) when they need them, so not at Christmas and birthdays. In fact, I try to do that, and Christmas and birthdays they get things like a new packet of felt tips, maybe a toy, but not a big expensive thing. Certainly now they're old enough to 'know' what's going on (i.e. to anticipate them). Because I'd much rather they didn't have the whole pressure of 'WHAT AM I GOING TO GET FOR CHRISTMAS', analysing catalogues, making lists etc. I'd rather it was a fun family time, with some fun presents to open. Having said that, I do always get them more than I intend to , because I see something they'd really like. Ds1 got a toy Woody for his birthday, (Toy Story) which cost £19.99, and that was his present, and he was SO pleased with it. And I do use birthdays and Christmas as a time to stock up on pens/paints/craft stuff etc.

I think either way can work, my theory is that this avoids them being spoilt because they're not 'expecting' a big present, and also avoids the disappointment of 'that's not really what I wanted' - there isn't the big pressure to get it absolutely right.

Does that make sense? Or will you all flame me and say my children are spoilt???

GdK, they will be besode themsleves when its opened.

Ds1 will prob explode with excitment at actually owning one.
Ds2 will LOVE all the sporty games.
Ds3 will fight them bothto the death to get on it and then hog it (which isn't so good)
I'm hoping Ds4 will have a reaction like this

then once they are all in bed, me and Dh can do battle!

cello is farking £££££!

At present is in Chethams school of music, and will be brough for us to 'view' on Monday. I'm trying to see it as an investment, and hoping that dd will be able to keep me in my disreputable old age.

Am failing

beside themselves even....

mb - hope the cello is good - they can be frightening amounts can't they! My cousin put a door handle through the back of hers...

dd is determined to play the cello. Which I'm sure will be lovely, except for my bank balance.

DP and I bought a Wii as a (belated due to availability, or lack of) Christmas present to ourselves. Too good for the boys...

no i see yout point torty

as long as the other kdis at shcool dont say(in that kind way)

" you got felt tips fro xmas???"

MB go on ...how much??

In Virgin and HMV where I live, which I realise is not much use unless you live here too This was last week, but they;ve had them in stock all month. They are still in stock at Play, I just ordered one!

Should I be grateful that DS2 is unlikely to be playing cello seriously or long-term??

tortiseshell, i dont say bikes for xmas either. the girls dont use their current bikes often enough anyway, and seeing as they have actually used them this summer, i wil lrepalce current ones in the spring. dd3 will get dd2 current bike, which was dd1 first bike.

but the nintendo ds' have been lifesavers with tregards to hospital appointments etc.

it's a funny thing, but our kids don't seem to care what the other kids say actually - maybe they've not reached the age of peer pressure, but they don't seem bothered by what other people have or say - ds1 thinks it's great if his friends have fantastic toys, 'cos then he can play with them when he goes for tea!

ggirl this site will tell you where you can find a Wii in stock. It's how I got mine in January.

oh, and we stock up on craft stuff as well over xmas. good strockign fillers.

Tortoise

Nothing like that here, the only thing he has is a Leapster, which he thinks is fab. He does not realise he is being educated at the same time.

tortoiseShell I completely agree with you. DD's birthday and Christmas are a day apart. I am not going to wait till nearly the end of Dec to get her two big presents. If she needs a bike(or whatever) then I will buy it at the appropriate time.e.g.in spring when the weather is starting to turn nice.
I don't think Christmas and birthdays should be about the "big" present, but rather about enjoying yourself with friends and family.

oh thast tricky then isnt it

luckily ours are spread into summer nad winter sessions!

LVoC - I can imagine - we had little hand held nintendos as kids, and we did use them a lot on car journeys etc.

My mum always banned my brother from having a games system at home, so he phoned up Going Live on a Saturday morning, and won one on 'Feed the frog' (anyone remember that). My mum was so annoyed!

thanks lyra!

I held out for ages too, ds didn't get a Gameboy or anything until he was 9, and we don't have any other consoles. It does get more socially desirable as they get older I think.

lol at frog

my ds1 was 8

Just to add, if we did decide to get some sort of games thing, I wouldn't do it for a birthday/christmas present, it would be bought separately as a 'house' thing. I really do think birthday/christmas presents should be small tokens.

well done your brother!!

i think i may just wrap up the boxed master system and 10games for xmas lol. be cheap lol.

dd's birthdays are sept, february and march. i think two new bikes (from sterling house) will be ordered for easter break.