Do your children save up to buy you a present?

eckythump

travelgran wrote: »

Some interesting responses. It wasn't because I 'ought to' but because I loved the secrecy and the wrapping, giving etc.
Actually the secrecy bit wasn't too good because, being the only child, I had no-one to share the pleasure with so I usually showed it to my mum as soon as I bought it, having previously asked her
'If I show you will you forget?'

And do you know, by the time Christmas or her birthday came round she always had forgotten and it was a complete surprise to her all over again!!

Age? - I should think about 6/7 onwards. Old enough to go to the corner shop on my own then.

How sweet,
your Mum raised a very generous and loving child .

purplerose

I think I started buying presents independently from about age 6 using pocket money. I remember the local chemist used to sell a wee pot pourri gift set which I bought for my mum on mothers day 2 years running only for her to say on the 3rd year that I wasn't to get it as she hated the stuff lol. I have no idea why I got it into my head that she liked it.

Loopy_Girl

Agreed....it's only in the past couple of years that my daughter has went into the shop unsupervised and chose something.

Our local Scotmid has a really good selection of bears, ducks. red roses etc etc depending on the occasion so it's usually something out of there.

Or if we are doing the grocery shop in the supermarket she sometimes goes away and comes back with a little bunch of flowers (paid for I hasten to add!!)

I have to admit I really appreciate it...it makes me feel good that she is realising how hard I work (in and out the home) and I feel proud that she wants to thank me.

thatgirlsam

i tell mine the week before that its my birthday coming up and what i have always wanted is a nice hand drawn picture (or something else they can easily make)

then they hurry off upstairs with their 'secret'

they are 11 and 5.. then i act all surprised and chuffed with my picture on my birthday

i ALWAYS remind them.. when i was a child about 7 i think, my mum didn't tell us it was her birthday coming up and then made a song and dance on the day that we hadn't bothered to get her anything

i was SO upset about that and looking back think that was a terribly cruel thing to do to a child..

on mothers day they make me a card and a little present at school, also their childminder is really good at that kind of thing so i usually get something made at hers

at xmas the same mother that traumatised me about her birthday takes them shopping and buys me a present from them - which i really appreciate

delain

:rotfl: No chance of my lot forgetting. They have a photographic memory for dates, and got so excited this year that they told everyone on the bus, a teacher twin2 likes (not even her class teacher!) said she'd been told about 58 times that it was my birthday and how old I am :rotfl:

My nan prints templates for pop up cards and they make them at her house and hide them away for me :cool: also this year they made little pyramid shaped boxes with her and put a few chocolates in them

Counting_Pennies_2

Mine are 3 and 6 so not at the moment. I will however be taking them shopping in the future to buy things.

Something really special that happened at my DS fun day at school a few weeks ago was a secrets room.

It was a room parents weren't allowed in, the children were given £3 by their parents, per present they were going to buy. The tickets were pre bought so the organisers knew how many gifts were needed.

Then they went in with the names who they were buying for, and chose the gift and with the helpers wrapped and gift tagged the present.

My son went in with the 7 names of the people we are spending Christmas Day with, and he has chosen us all separate presents. He is being very good and keeping it a secret. He will give them to us on the day. I am so excited for him, and he is for himself. This to me is so nice, and I hope they do it next year too.

MadDogWoman_2

My DD is 3.5 I have advised DH that he will be getting seperate presents from me and DD.

I've always bought my parents something for birthdays, Christmas etc, we didn't get pocket money (if we needed something we asked) but went shopping with my dad instead, who then arranged for the girls in his office to wrap them for us

SingleSue

Mine are 12,14 and 17 and receive pocket money.

The two younger ones really got into the spirit of things last Christmas and got presents for their siblings, my brother and my parents, although they had pooled their money before that to buy me something.

Unfortunately, because they got into the swing of things, they ran short of pennies before buying mine and were quiet upset about it until I suggested they use their talents to make me something instead.

As a result, my Christmas day was really special with every gift from the children one from the heart...and it didn't cost them a penny (although plenty of time in the making of them!)

seasalt_2

I've always said to mine I'd love a drawing or something they've made but one year when they were quite small they forgot (because DH had) and were so upset that they hadn't got me anything that DH took them with him to our local agricultural store and they picked a garden gnome, a plastic rabbit (still lives in the garden) and a wreath of plastic flowers that I think was intended to go on a grave! After that, I took to ordering books I wanted and giving them to DH to organise the wrapping etc (pretending I knew nothing about it). They are now teens and twenties, earn their own money and buy their own presents. DDs are more organised than DS who clearly takes after DH, who still leaves all the present buying to me.

roadiegirl

From being little, I have always 'contributed' towards christmas presents for my parents. Between about 4 and 8 my mum and dad would take me shopping to pick a present out for the other, but in return for this I'd help fold up the ironing/putting my dolls away. As I got older I started getting pocket money (about £10 a month for good behaviour and doing my chores), and I would save some of this (would end up about two pounds a month) to put towards a present for my mum and dad, and they would take me shopping and usually pay the difference between what I had and what it cost! From being about 12 I used to go down to the local town and pick something (boots 3for2 as someone else has said!), but now as a student not living at home, me and me younger brother (14-who has more money than me!) club together to buy our parents something useful. This year we are getting them a coffee machine my Mum has been eyeing up, and in previous years we have got them a sat-nav and a pair of skiing goggles each!

Our primary school used to do the secrets room thing, but there was never anything decent in it. Just the odd bottle of non alcoholic wine and cheap smellies from the pound shop, but I guess its the thought that counts from the little ones, right? x