Nintendo DS - too young?? OH objecting and being tight!

maman

My grandaughter (aged 11) has one and would gladly play on it for hours but we go in for rationing when she's with us. Fortunately her mum operates same policy so she accepts it.

To respond to the thread, I think the children are too young for DS as another poster said there are lots of instructions to read. Perhaps age appropriate games on the PC would be better.

Violetta_2

I think you should let him decorate for the sole reason in 20 years time the kid's will be able to take the P out of their dad I can see it now lovely family xmas in years to come "hey dad remember the year Santa brought us wallpaper for xmas that was great" oh how you'll all laugh.
If he's anything like my oh it will only be half finished and your lo's will be unwrapping gorgeously wrapped roll's of wallpaper. Surely they will be suspicious that whilst Santas dropping off presents to all the good boys and girl's all over the world he stopped off to do a bit of painting and decorating!!

Buttercup.x

i think 4 & 6 are a bit young for a ds mine are 4 & 7 and i bought them a wii between them awhile ago for being good

elisebutt65

I can imagine their little faces looking for all their pressies on Xmas Day- only to find that their rooms have been painted _pale_

My boys and I all have our own DS and I love them - we all have different games - I have my Spanish lessons - LOL, DS2(8) has some of the dog ones and DS1 (13) has the Simpsons and some Star Wars ones - It has actually been a good lesson in budgeting for them both as they did chores to earn pocket money to buy their own and they regularly save up to buy and trade in games.

I've also got a Wii (couple of Xmases ago) and they got the Wii Fit as a joint present when it came out and I've also got the Lynx crossbow and game hidden away for this year. Makes choosing presents easier - LOL.

DS1 also used his paper round money to get his PSP - paid £60 to buy it from his uncle. We also have a PS2 kicking around somewhere, along with the PC and a laptop.

However - most of the time we spend out doing stuff - in the evenings we all have dinner together, we have a good few hours snuggled on the sofa reading to each other and watching tv. The games usually come out on a wet weekend evening when we're just too fagged out to do anything else.

I think your kids should have the DS's - its a great idea and they take up hardly any room - then you get them games for birthdays etc. The puppie/dog games are really good for their ages - all the fun of a pet and none of the poo picking up - LOL.

BillScarab

My children were 4 and 6 when they got their DS Lites. They both played with them a lot from the off and still do. The main thing is to buy suitable games for them, i.e. don't buy a game like Animal Crossing for the four year old as it involves a lot of reading. The best thing about the DS is the size, they take up no room and are great on car journeys for keeping them occupied. We got car chargers for ours and a splitter for the cigarette lighter socket so we can keep them both charged on journeys.

The Wii is alos good but if they are young will they be happy with a shared present? As for decorating their rooms I dont' think they'd appreciate it much. Maybe for a teenager doing a complete bedroom makeover may be alright but not for little children. They want things to unwrap.

Carmina_Piranha_3

I told my husband about this last night (he also loves his PS3, and the wii, and the DS lol!) and he is staggered that your husband has such an expensive TOY but thinks the children can go without toys for christmas

Some children get on well - perhaps the 6 year old will read the instructions to the 4 year old and they will both play nicely. I don't know what else is out there, because my 3 year old isn't having any kind of console for a long time yet. I suppose the interaction between the DSs is the pull here, because if you just get one for the eldest, and something different for the youngest then they won't be playing together. are the children the same sex, by the way?

DaisyFlower

I dont think they are too young either, there are quite a few games for the DS aimed at children that dont require too many instructions or reading.

Also agree that decorating is a bad choice of present for xmas, xmas for kids to get up and see santa has left nice shiny pressies under the tree - not new wallpaper.

Also agree with the poster who said its a little mean that your hubby has a PS3 but doesnt think the children should have toys for xmas.

Sarahjovi

I vote for the DS's, both my children have had them for 2 years now and they still play with them loads.

They can also communicate with them too! as you can send each other messages, draw picstures and send them etc.,

Sarah

RoxieW

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Some of these replies made me laugh!

Just to be clear - they will be getting some pressies under the xmas tree as well - he's not that mean! And they do get a lot from other people. Last year they had five big sack fulls of toys each and I we both want to scale this down abit - and grandparents etc won't so we'll have to.

I'd still like to get them a DS - but OH is digging his heels in and I really cant be bothered with the or stress He has said fine, we wont do their bedroom for them but they are NOT having a ds. I have no clue why as, as I said, he's been into computers from a young age and still is.

The trouble is I think our oldest would definately get on fine with it - whereas the youngest may not. But with them you cant buy one without the other.
Then if they dont play with them I know I'll get I told you so's until next xmas

I really dont know why he's digging his heels in with it. He never normally has any opinions on what to buy them and I sort all xmas out. But he's the type that if you keep pushing he digs his heels in further.

Have sent him this thread to read which will either change his mind or make him dig his heels in more.

I'll keep you posted

Carmina_Piranha_3

you're not mean :rotfl: I think a bed from parents for a birthday is different than for christmas off santa. Can't really explain why, but it just is

My husband and our friends work in IT and games and they all think these gadgets aren't good for young children. But I suppose it's like TV - watching a bit of TV, or watching with an involved adult is a lot different to a child sitting in front of the TV alone all day.

At age 6 our son had very strict limits on how long he could play for, and you could definitely see the bad effects of playing for too long - it seemed to change him from a pleasant child into a snarling monster. All the parenting programmes tell parents to limit screen time. I wouldn't ban these things completely though, just limit their use. They can help with writing and reading, and coordination.