Wow - materialism much?...

I was waiting to pay for a photo in line at the electronics counter at a large department store on the weekend, and there were 2 women in front of me.

First woman is trying to buy a DSi, they are all out of stock so she asks if she can buy the display model. Yes, that's fine. She says to the shop assistant, "Oh that's great, my 4 year old will be so happy for Christmas. He fights his older sister for hers all the time, I'm so over it."

Inwardly, I say to myself wow, 4 is a little young for a DSi, but each to their own. Not a major thing. We have several games systems (perks of my work, I would not pay for them, and 2 of them are still yet to even be opened lol) but DS 5yrs is obsessed with Lego and has shown little interest in videogaming, apart from a few goes on a racing game on my phone. DD 2 yrs loves to grab my phone and unlock it and look at the photo's of herself lol.

The other woman in line then says "Oh I know what you mean. I have 4 kids, and they've all got their own DS, and they still manage to fight about it,"

A little more gobsmacked. I know kids will fight about toys etc, but that sounds mighty expensive to me. Resist asking out loud if they share games or not.

Then the clincher. The first woman replies "Oh I know. DS already has a Nintendo Ds, but not a DSi. His sister had a DSi and he just has to have one,"

I wonder what this will escalate to by the time her kids are teenagers?.....

We were going to buy our 3 and 4 years olds a Ipad each for Christmas but decided to wait till next year and they might have dropped a little in price.

I don't see a problem with that lady buying her child a DSi. My kids have a DSi.

haha id be thinking the same thing. but im a little old fashioned when it comes to these things, im personally against video/computer games for young children. esp hand held ones. im even iffy about TV and movies. a 4 yr old should be out getting grubby and playing imaginative games like dress ups and building pillow forts. and its far less expensive! yup i think ppl with this attitude risk setting themselves a dangerous precedent as their children get older.

oh just want to add that im in no way having a go at anyone that does give their kids these things..just not the go for my family. each to their own.

When their are teenagers they going to want more and more things with the $ to match it.

My kids will have to share their toys. Their dad a gamer so they will not have to fight to play games. I'm already teaching my first son that he will have to share toys with his brother or risk losing the toy for 24 hours.

I think the parents are almost has bad has the kids. Don't they see that buying the kids things will lead to more trouble has the kids get older.

When their are teenagers they going to want more and more things with the $ to match it.

My kids will have to share their toys. Their dad a gamer so they will not have to fight to play games. I'm already teaching my first son that he will have to share toys with his brother or risk losing the toy for 24 hours.

I think the parents are almost has bad has the kids. Don't they see that buying the kids things will lead to more trouble has the kids get older.

thats a good point too... its not so much that the thing theyre buying is expensive nor that is 'adult technology' as i think of them. but that it says to the kids 'if you cant share ill just buy another one'..no way would i buy 3 of everything for my kids just because they cant cooperate, that goes for any toys really, if you decide to buy them their own separe toys then fine but not as a reaction to arguements over something.

I'm trying to teach DD about sharing with DS. She keeps taking whatever toys we give him to play with then if I buy him one of his own she chucks a tantrum because as far as she's concerned it's hers.

When they are older I can guarantee I won't be buying them each a DS-whatever-future-versions-are-called. Or an iPpad. I don't even have an iPad. sad My kids can spend their time outside or inside playing with toys.

I have thought about teaching DD on the computer but I think I'll wait til she can write. smile

We were going to buy our 3 and 4 years olds a Ipad each for Christmas but decided to wait till next year and they might have dropped a little in price.

I don't see a problem with that lady buying her child a DSi. My kids have a DSi.

It isn't so much what they are buying, he already had a DS but didn't have the newer DSi version his sister did, so he "had" to have a new one. It's not a cheap piece of equipment, and if at that age that's what they have to have, how much is it going to escalate as they get older?

Just as a question though, do you think your kids would get much out of an iPad? Not having a go, but at that age I can't imagine my kids being interested in them, or me not having a minor panic attack thinking they'll end up accidentally broken.

I'm trying to teach DD about sharing with DS. She keeps taking whatever toys we give him to play with then if I buy him one of his own she chucks a tantrum because as far as she's concerned it's hers.

When they are older I can guarantee I won't be buying them each a DS-whatever-future-versions-are-called. Or an iPpad. I don't even have an iPad. sad My kids can spend their time outside or inside playing with toys.

I have thought about teaching DD on the computer but I think I'll wait til she can write. smile

DS knows the basics of using a computer, and we have a train game (shapes, matching pictures, jigsaw and build your own picture) that he can play on the old desktop. But honestly, he plays for about 10 minutes max before he gets bored, and hasn't touched it in I think about 6 months.

It's not so much a debate on the technology (although I don't think kids necessarily need these things at such a young age) as the cost, and kids expecting / demanding this stuff from their parents. If it's a given that you're going to be buying them the latest gadgets when they're 4, there will be hell to pay later if you don't keep up with it.

It's just appreciation of what you're given. DS is 5, and I got tired of his constant whinging to get more and more and more Lego (when I had only bought him a few sets anyway, and Lego is expensive enough!) so I made a deal with him. He keeps his room clean (we worked together for a day and got it spotless) and he gets $5 a week pocket money, which he saves up to buy whatever Lego set he wants. I just don't want my kids thinking I can pull whatever they want out of my butt and hand it to them on a silver platter.

I am an only child and my partner is one of 5
so i can defanitly see where learning to share from a young age is a good idea.
partner is a gamer so i know that parents hobbies can influence what the child is intersted in so its making sure theres a variety of options for them.
I do think there are some things are arent targeted at children but things like computers can so easily be made educational that im not too worried as long as its not square eyes till sunday.
Before i buy my kid anything expensive i would see how he treats something similar - kids have tantrums throw their toys drinks get spilled lets face it kids are a messy hobbie that i wouldnt trade for any other line of work.

We have decided as a couple that our son will get all our schrapnal that goes in his pig over the year ( 10c- $2) and on his birthday he can smash it and buy what he wants with the money he has earnt - i think if they have had to earn it they tend to be more careful in my experience as a caregiver its good to learn to save for things
its not neccessarily the item per say - but how the parent goes about the child getting the latest gaming console or whatever it is.

It isn't so much what they are buying, he already had a DS but didn't have the newer DSi version his sister did, so he "had" to have a new one. It's not a cheap piece of equipment, and if at that age that's what they have to have, how much is it going to escalate as they get older?

Just as a question though, do you think your kids would get much out of an iPad? Not having a go, but at that age I can't imagine my kids being interested in them, or me not having a minor panic attack thinking they'll end up accidentally broken.

Actually my DS1 would get alot out of an ipad seeing as he will be using one next year at school and would use it or his homework

Actually my DS1 would get alot out of an ipad seeing as he will be using one next year at school and would use it or his homework

He'll be having homework that requires an iPad as a 5 year old? Wow....Surely they can't expect everyone to be able to do that?

Sorry, I'm assuming you meant your older child who is now 4 and would theoretically then be 5 and in Prep next year. If I'm wrong let me know.

He will actually be 4 till a few months into Kinder. I didn't say he will NEED a ipad for homework but he would use one. They actually need to use a computer for homework at his school