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Toys and games

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Have def learnt the hard way! Maybe I can save someone else some pennies!!

2 replies

cheekymonk · 30/12/2009 17:05

Hi All- hope everyone had a good Christmas!!

Have been sorting out ds's room most of today, he is 5 in Jan. I am just frustrated at my own stupidity and lament the money wasted on toys/things that he really is not fussed about or break easily!!

  1. Tower of Doom from ELC. Got it off Ebay at only a tenner cheaper than shops (so £60 I think) but it got slightly knocked in post and ds has barely touched it. I fixed it however. I tried doing the role play stuff with him but still, he never plays with it.
  2. Scalextric. Bought lovingly by my Dad, at a cost of £80!!! When first bought the cars just flew off the track, the bits on the bottom seemed to need replacing after each play and today after trying track again, track seems a bit bent and does not fit together so well. Its just not hardy enough for my ds!!
  3. Stig helicopter bought by my Mum this Christmas. Reduced to £25. Now completely broken. Not sure if my fault for overcharging it or ds too rough. The box does say recommended for over 8s so again not suitable for my ds really but he loved it!
  4. Plastic wendy house. Cost £100! He has barely been in it! I understand its a time of year thing but he seems non plussed.

I don't really blame ds, we choose to spend the money and like any parent, I just want to buy him things that bring him pleasure/keep him entertained. Its just where we struggle financially, I can't help but curse myself. There have been plenty of good buys but dykwim??? My Mum says she feels I buy things to compensate for being a wahm (another argument I know!) but I feel this is untrue. I do need to be a bit more careful of what I am buying/how much I am spending on him but I find I cannot help it and don't feel I am extravagant really, its just modern life.
We do plenty of non money orientated things and am firm believer in 5 mins means so much more than £5. I just want what i buy to be good quality , sturdy and appropriate which seems a big ask?!!
Am I/others just buying inappropriate things??

OP posts:
itchyandscratchy · 30/12/2009 17:13

the dds are 8 and 4 now and it's taken me this long to buy only presents that suit their personalities. Dd1 begged me Santa for a password journal but Santa seemingly had run out of them and I am chuffed as I know she only wanted that from watching crappy adverts on the tv. Electronic gifts and dd1 just don't mix. I bought elc fairy wonderland, happyland stuff and all kinds for her when she was younger and she barely glanced at them. She's happiest with pens, colours, clothes and books.

and dd2 likes things very different to dd1 and will play for hours with all of the above and loves role play games, dolls, figures, etc.

You say there have been plenty of good buys - work out which he's played with most and stick to the formula.

cheekymonk · 01/01/2010 17:34

Thanks itchyandscratchy. Yes it is about sticking to same formula. It makes you kind of angry when you realise you are putty in a marketer's hand!!

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