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Original poster

Right, that does it, they have GOT to ban kids' advertising

72 replies

JanH · 06/12/2004 13:48

On You and Yours today (I would do a link but it's not there yet) they had a feature on "pester power" - talked to a small selection of mums shopping at the Gateshead Metro Centre (I think) and then to one who was looking to borrow £1400 for this Christmas from her local Credit Union when it would take her 2 years to pay it off. (CU woman kindly said she could have £700 only.)

They all said, one way or another, "well they see these things on the telly and they want them so I have to get them". They were spending upwards of £600 per child. This is INSANE. If many parents have become unable to say no to their kids then at least if the kids aren't tempted quite as much their bills might be a bit more sensible...no product ads on kids' TV in December would be a start.

I know You and Yours is a bit inclined to do "shock! horror! burnt mouth on hot coffee!" stories but assume they didn't trawl through the place looking for people with bottomless purses.

(Mind you, having said all that - we have friends whose kids are now mid 20s, and when they were small they used to be encouraged to go through the Argos catalogue to write out their wish lists and then got most of what was on them. They are still spoilt rotten today too!)

OP posts:

Satine · 06/12/2004 18:42

Miranda2 - what a good idea! I will certainly be doing that. And I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Athomemum!

Satine · 06/12/2004 18:43

I'm all for being one of Twasthenightbeforecatbert's 'common ladies', as well, BTW

tigermoth · 07/12/2004 07:18

I hate those toy ads too. One thing at least, as there are so many of them on TV, it's more easy to say (to older children ) 'look how we are bombarded with advertising - you know for a fact we can't buy you all that stuff'

If only one or two toys were advertised it would IMO be far more dangerous.

So I'm for a blanket ban on all - or no ban at all.

FairyMum · 07/12/2004 07:29

I am for a blanket ban! I only let my kids watch BBC and if they want programmes on other channles I will record it and not show them the adverts.

ChristmasBOOZA · 07/12/2004 09:16

For me the question is how can I get DS to go from not understanding the purpose of an advert to being cynical about them without the in between stage. He sees very few adverts - only occasionally a bit of Milkshake in a morning or Transworld Sport at weekends (all this while we're still in bed!). But I think there are some good tips on here.

And you know how everyone always says that babies are more interested in the boxes than the presents? Well yesterday I had the boxes from the four money boxes DD was bought for her christening ready to go in the loft. And DD (6 months)and DS (3.10)played with them together for about 40 minutes. DS was putting them inside each other and DD's socks (which she'd kicked off) in them and giving them to her etc. They both had a great time with no adult input. Only drawback was that yet another of DD's socks is now missing. Still I've told both her grandma's that she needs socks for Christmas so only a couple of weeks and we will be home to the european sock mountain.

winnie1 · 07/12/2004 09:27

I hate adverts generally but especially adverts aimed at children. Our 4 year old hasnever been to McDonalds (we are veggie and dh & I generally loathe the whole thing)and yet ds wants to go, recognising the symbol where ever he sees it and covets all of the give aways he sees advertised that come free with a meal. Ds also runs through the ads with a "I want that for Xmas"... which is infuriating. And despite our best efforts as a family (from dd, dh & I) ds is not yet convinced that the adverts don't offer endless fun and happiness Needless to say he will not be receiving piles of expensive cr*p for Christmas and we know what we have bought him he will be delighted with.

I am all for a ban.
I meet too many people on a daily basis who are in considerable debt & sometimes it is partly because they believe the advertising and our cultural myth that 'stuff' brings happiness

Caligulights · 07/12/2004 09:58

I've developed a great new de-cluttering game with my two. Every now and then (about once a month) we clear out their two (bloody two!) toy cupboards and decide which toys can go to the charity shop. It's amazing how much kids can be persuaded to chuck away!

Caligulights · 07/12/2004 09:59

Meant to say, that's my attempt to build a cultural myth in my children's mind that throwing things out makes you happy!

moondog · 07/12/2004 10:22

Never bought my dd anything for b'days or Christmas until she was about 3. Honestly never missed it.
Even now, I often quietly confiscate gifts that she andd ds are showered with and pass them on to charities (so that they are box fresh rather than having been played with once or twice then tossed aside.)
I don't think that I am a sanctimonious prig but it SICKENS me to see kids drowning in toys that they don't even see.
I also withhold crayons and felt tips until the current packet is as dead as a doornail, do loads of shopping in 2nd hand shops and have regular 'sweeps' of their rooms.

Am i overdoing it? Well, my sisters often refer to my house as 'the laboratory'....

FlashingRudolphNose · 07/12/2004 10:27

Out of interest, what effect (if any) do you think buying children whatever they want throughout their childhood would have on them as adults?

Caligulights · 07/12/2004 10:35

I've just had a brilliant idea from this thread - I'm going to siphon off some of the wrapped toys, put them in the cellar, and have them as a reserve stockpile for the birthday parties that come up throughout the rest of the year.

No-one will ever know! Well done Mumsnet, another tip from the top.

moondog · 07/12/2004 13:04

yes,fab idea. just don't do what my friend did and forget who gave you what. she gave back a box of chocolates to someone who had given them to her (strong drink was a factor,mind you..)

marialuisa · 07/12/2004 13:47

Well, have to admit that I did get everything i wanted as a child and i don't think it's had any disastrous effects. My father's generoity was probably mediated by my mother's extreme poverty though.

Have unwrapped one of DD's prezzies to pass on as a b'day present this w/e but feel quite bad about it.

GeorginaAdventCalendar · 07/12/2004 13:52

Re: practical presents. As a child I thought they were the worst evil known to mankind and used to physically DREAD the soft squishy parcels at Christmas and birthdays . So I'm afraid, clothing and duvet covers have no place in the A household Christmas.

From a poverty point of view, my best Christmas ever was when my dad was unemployed, and my parents MADE every single christmas present. I had a big stuffed dog, a cooker with some clay pretend-food, a bagatelle board, a stringed-puppet... Fortunately, I had very craft-minded parents with some actual talent, so I'm not sure it would ever work for me if we were strapped for cash one year

pabla · 07/12/2004 14:27

I was away for a few days recently and as it was the first time I had done this I promised the kids I would bring them back a present. I spent about £5-10 on each of them but what they played with most were the free pens and eye masks I got on the airoplane!

I have to say mine don't seem to play with toys very much so they tend to get lots of books, additional bits for toys they already have, dressing up clothes, art stuff, etc.

I am a bit annoyed at dh this year - my daughter has already written her letter to FC and I have got what was on the list (which is quite restrained), and now he wants to give her a Nintento Gameboy AS WELL - only because he has got two, one of which he originally intended to sell but now thinks he would like her to have so they can play games together. I have pointed out that one of her friends is getting a gameboy as her main present - don't really want my dd getting one as an extra, as like many other posters I am against giving them too much at Christmas.

Caligulights · 07/12/2004 14:44

Why don't you just suggest you buy the gameboy for HIM for Christmas?! Sounds like he's the one who wants it more than her anyway!

frogs · 07/12/2004 14:55

Another three cheers for MN-reassurance! I've been siphoning off surplus presents for years, but assumed everyone would think I was the evil queen of mean if I admitted to it.

It's particularly necessary with my in-laws, as MIL will buy them obscene quantities of stuff, far more than dh and I would get them, and far more than they could ever use. You can really tell when the children have been given too much it completely fazes them, and they end up not playing with any of it properly. Unfortunately MIL lacks that sensor, and the stuff just keeps piling up. In the end, the only stuff they really play with regularly is the Lego, the Playmobil, the dressing up clothes and the art materials most of the rest is fluff.

I've even siphoned off presents after they've unwrapped them, as long as they haven't taken the toy out of the packet -- the kids' memories are very short, and with that quantity of stuff they don't miss it. Siphoning also works well if a child has a really big birthday party and is showered with 30 presents, most of which you'd never ordinarily allow in the house. But you do need to be very efficient with attaching post-it notes, to avoid recycling mishaps.

I'm with athomemum on the TV issue -- mine don't really watch it, unless ill or special kids' films at the weekends.

marialuisa · 07/12/2004 15:02

frogs, the recycling of b'day tat is also good. i have even been known to take stuff back to the shops and get things like books or vests instead...

warmmum · 07/12/2004 15:03

I disagree. We don't spend anything like that amount of money on the children (more like £40), which is plenty frankly.

BUT - I think it is essential that children grow up know what advertising is all about. They see the things they like, and I can say to them, yes aren't they nice, but no you can't have them, even if we had all the money in the world, you cannot have all the things you want. Otherwise how will they deal with a tonne of advertising when they are older.

Maybe I'm just a meanie, I don't know.

warmmum · 07/12/2004 15:04

PS - have not read whole thread, maybe someone has already said same.

pabla · 09/12/2004 13:02

Caligulalights, I have got him one for Christmas, but he asked me to buy a second one for someone at work (this type is only available in the US at the moment and I was there recently).

motherinfestivemood · 09/12/2004 13:15

I'm another one getting slightly perturbed by the number of toys the inferiorettes are building up. DP has - somewhat to my horror - spent more than I'd have liked on DD1's Christmas present, but then it's a bike; which I do want her to get going on. I'm trying quite hard to make presents creative/active stuff in the future - the Megabloks from last birthday are still going very strong indeed...

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