Nothing Left To Buy A 6 Year Old?

[Guest]

I was talking to my friend who has a 7 yr old girl and 6 yr old boy and she says she has no idea what to buy the boy for Christmas this year. It turns out this is because he 'already has' a TV, DVD player, CD player, Video player, video games, PS2, Game boy and motorised scooter so (in her words) 'what on earth can I get him? Maybe I should get him the PS3 (he only got PS2 in June) or a mobile 'phone'!

 

Sorry, I know she is my friend but whatever happened to 6 yr olds having TOYS??? And what will she do when he is 10, 12, 14?? When he comes to our house he just mooches around because he is 'bored' and really doesn't know how to play unless it is electronic. When he stays the night we all ( I have 3 young children, one the same age) play board games which he loves so I suggested some of those to his mum but she just said 'Oh no too boring and I need to spend at least £100 cos that's what he is used to'

 

Don't know why I am posting this really, just wanted to vent off how sad I thought it was that soemone could run out of ideas after only 6 years.

 

Megsmum

Edited October 4, 2006 by Guest

[Lucie]

Its funny that you should bring this up,

 

we are discussing 'junk culture' at the moment at uni because it so topical, (begun with a letter in the telegraph) its such a shame that children are rushed through their lives.

 

my 26 yr old boyfriend will be saving up to get a ps3, it shouldn't be pushed on young children.

 

children tend to be in competition with each other - have you got the latest etc.. it makes me really sad that children can't just go out onto the streets and playing fields and play hide and seek etc. I'm 20 and i remember playing games like that...this modern culture seems to have jumped on our children so quickly!

at 6 having so many indoor games and screen based entertainment is seriously going to impact on this little boys social development!

 

sorry to rant, but this really caught my attention!

 

laura x

[Guest]

How about a football! Or swingball is great too.

[Guest]

I agree with previous comments, especially the 'I'm bored' and not knowing how to play.

 

I would agree something sporty or board games. My son is 23 and he still enjoys a game of monopoly with his mates, and on his 21st Birthday all he wanted to do is have a BBQ at home and play Charades, bless.

 

He is also a party animal, loves sport, he got his black belt at karate aged 12 yrs, and his only 'electronic' addiction is the FIFA football management game.

 

I remember when he was 5 yrs old his teachers used to complain that he wouldn't read his 'reading scheme' books, I suggested they give him the sports page of any newspaper and he would eagerly show them his reading skills!!

 

Peggy

[hali]

i would get tjings like magic tricks, chemistry sets or spy sets, thats what my son liked....

[Inge]

what happened to bikes footballs etc.

 

Board games, great BUT need ideally parental input and time ...do parents still want to join in or is it just easier to give them an electronic game,

As peggy said ours are still in use now (son 22yrs) OOps while at uni some did get adapted into drinking games !! Stilll social learning I suppose

 

We had a power cut one year on Xmas day from 9.30 to 4pm.... we really enjoyed playing all the games, riding bikes and had a great day even if it took 3 hours to boil the kettle on the log fire (no gas) Lucky we cooked the meat the day before so food was no problem, sent some round to elderly neighbour who had nothing cooked. what if we had given electric toys that year, could have been disappointing not to use them on Xmas day. Mm memory serves following year it was boxing day!

 

Inge

[Rea]

When Sam was 10 he was asked to answer a survey in the street. The woman couldnt believe he had a straight forward bedroom, no TV, DVD, video, games console, music centre and no mobile phone either. I have to be honest it wasnt only because I didnt think he should have the stuff, he didnt want it either which helped, we also couldnt afford most of it.

My ex sister in law bought my nephew an X Box when he was 5 because he liked playing on someone elses, didnt matter that he had no idea what to do with it and got frustrated.

 

Laura, It'd be interesting to hear what you come up with at university.

[Beau]

I have nothing left to buy my nearly 6 year old but only because she is the 4th and we have sooooo many toys already. I limit the amount of TV watching/console playing they do (they have an older brother who got them into the gamecube ) and they are perfectly happy to play with their toys instead. One of the other mums, who has a son, complained to me the other week that she has difficulty when some of the boys come round because they don't seem to know how to play and keep asking where the playstation is. Sad, isn't it.

[Susan]

I was just about the only parent who offered traditional parties when mine were small!

Very sad that too.

[Guest]

Beau - bit like that with our 3 girls - never seen so much 'baby doll' stuff in your life - and they STILL want more!!

 

Susan, some of my 8 yr olds friends still remind me about the parties we have had - never hear them raving about a Macdonalds party though Must admit, 8 yr old had a swimming party this year but that's because we are having the house renovated and there was no way we could have a party here.

 

Peggy, I knew of someone who was 'a non reader' at the age of 7, never read a thing in class until the day there was a newspaper on the painting easel with an article on trains - he read it out loud from beginning to end

 

 

Anyway, glad I am not the only one who thinks the same way - think it is because mine live outside in all weathers They watch DVD's but aren't really interested in anything else electronic (oh except for one tamagichi lol)

 

Megsmum

 

 

p.s. I remember about 10/12 years ago I asked my reception children what they would like for Christmas - most were bikes, TV's, vidoes etc. One little boy said he had written his list and it only had one thing on it - plasticene - awwww Nearly went out and bought him some there and then!