Kids Xmas, Tablet for Kids

Dillence

My daughter just turned 6 and we bought her a Kurio

http://www.johnlewis.com/231732134/Product.aspx

which she loves. It comes downloaded with games and an ereader and she can connect to the internet but with us having full control over it.

She is really only using it for games and the camera at the moment but I am sure that it will grow with her.

jellyhead

Dillence wrote: »

My daughter just turned 6 and we bought her a Kurio

http://www.johnlewis.com/231732134/Product.aspx

which she loves. It comes downloaded with games and an ereader and she can connect to the internet but with us having full control over it.

She is really only using it for games and the camera at the moment but I am sure that it will grow with her.

My friend mentioned those for her 5 year old for christmas. I got on my high horse and said 5 year olds don't need that sort of thing, much like the people in this thread

This thread has made me think though ... it would keep them quiet when we're in the pub :rotfl:

balletshoes

kids don't "need" anything we as parents choose to buy them as Christmas gifts etc. Its all luxury, but that doesn't stop us buying them, as we see fit.

FBaby

rachbc wrote: »

And my experience has been different. My son has been utterly speechless and grateful on the occasions we have got him ott presents, and just as grateful and happy on the occasions we have got him the smaller gifts he has asked for. When circumstances have been different or I have said no he has been upset but never resentful or brattish.

Kids being 'spoiled' is less to do with what they have/ are given than how they are expected to behave.

But he is still very young I believe. Does he actually have a real notion of costs? When kids are still young, what they desire is not always what is expensive. That changes very quickly when they get closer to teenagehood. It's the notion of being used to always getting what they want that is an issue rather than the fact that they don't always want expensive presents at a young age.

There's already a big difference between being 6 and sometimes wanting something expensive and sometimes not from when they were 1 and cared more about the wrapping paper than the actual present!!!

FBaby

jellyhead wrote: »

Who are those blackberries for, your children? I don't really see much difference, except for the cost factor which won't mean much to a 6 year old (and I don't see a problem with that, not at 6 - they should know that they can't have everything they see, know how to save etc. but they don't need to know the cost of various electronic toys).

I agree with the gist of your post, but I don't see why you'd criticise people for thinking of buying an ipad for a 6 year old, yet you bought something similar for a child of 9 who ought to be playing outside or interacting with real people too, surely?

Well I actually bought one for myself to start with, and then one for my 12 yo who will turn 13 a week after chritmas. If I don't really use mine (because to be honest, I suspect I won't after a few months), and my boy (who will also turn 10 just after Chritmas) shows great interest, I might give mine to him.

Yes, I do think there is a difference between an expensive top of the range present at 6 and a much cheaper alternative at 10+ exactly for the reason you stated. At that age, they are starting to understand the notion of costs and that what we can afford/not afford is linked to the cost of things.

I could have paid for a new iphone at £36 a month last December. Instead I went for the Samsung Galaxy at £20. A 6 year old wouldn't have seen the difference between the phones, although probably already think through media etc... that an iphone is cooler therefore more desirable. At their age, my kids understand that what is cool is not always best, and that even if it is, it is not twice as good as the cost.

These are notions that I started teaching my kids (mainly by exemple and explaining my reasons) at soon as they could understand. They understand what a mortgage is, what insurance is for, the benefits of savings etc... Refusing to buy them top of the range materialist things that they don't really have a use for at their age is part of it.

Dotty1

Daughter's 14:

Up to Age 11 - used our laptop and computer for homework
Age 12 - had her own phone (Blackberry) with NO internet access but unlimited texts.
Age 13 - Same. We have Ipad so she uses this if we're not using it
Age 14 - Still will not let her use facebook. She does have an email account, linked to my phone so I can see when she sends/receives email.
Age 16 - can have money and buy her own.

Think its important she has what is necessary for homework. But have not as yet bought her her own computer.

rachbc

FBaby wrote: »

But he is still very young I believe. Does he actually have a real notion of costs?

He's 14 he know exactly what an ipad cost which is why he never in a million years expected to get one. In fact he was working out what to sell and how long to save his pocket money it would take him to afford one. He doesn't always get what he wants - I have said no to many things and not just on the basis of cost.

We looked at lots of different tablets but decided that given our household uses mac laptops (he has a netbook running a mac os) and iphones there would be less compatibility issues with getting him an ipad. DD is coming up for 6 and it is her we will prob buy a cheaper android tablet or an ipod touch

NewKittenHelp

FBaby wrote: »

Well I actually bought one for myself to start with, and then one for my 12 yo who will turn 13 a week after chritmas. If I don't really use mine (because to be honest, I suspect I won't after a few months), and my boy (who will also turn 10 just after Chritmas) shows great interest, I might give mine to him.

Yes, I do think there is a difference between an expensive top of the range present at 6 and at 10+ exactly for the reason you stated. At that age, they are starting to understand the notion of costs and that what we can afford/not afford is linked to the cost of things.

I could have paid for a new iphone at £36 a month last December. Instead I went for the Samsung Galaxy at £20. A 6 year old wouldn't have seen the difference between the phones, although probably already think through media etc... that an iphone is cooler therefore more desirable. At their age, my kids understand that what is cool is not always best, and that even if it is, it is not twice as good as the cost.

These are notions that I started teaching my kids (mainly by exemple and explaining my reasons) at soon as they could understand. They understand what a mortgage is, what insurance is for, the benefits of savings etc... Refusing to buy them top of the range materialist things that they don't really have a use for at their age is part of it.

Personally I think that arbitrarily refusing to buy something of much use because it's top of the range is ridiculous. The chances are they'd get far more use, for far longer out of an iPad than they would from an unsupported and complete and utter failure of a tablet like the Blackberry Playbook. And that's not just my opinion - that's backed up by the facts. Blackberry probably won't be in business for much longer, and then the support offered to those tablets will be less than zero.

Dotty1

As my daughter is now 14 we've been through this, and I can honestly say that whatever they have they want a better one a year later. I suppose it's going to be the same with boyfriends!

So much stuff wanted and bought, and then forgotten about. I reckon a 'family' piece of technology is much better.

zoesmummy_2006

my son is 4 and im getting him the innotab 2 for xmas, my daughter is 6 and I know that if she sees her brother with one she will want one too, so am getting her one as well to save arguments. But thats all theyre having, games will be from grandparents/aunt/uncle etc cos im not paying £20 a game.

Im getting it more for the ereader aspect and the colouring/music/video ability etc, plus I think its something they'll both enjoy-believe me they have enough 'toys' lol.

Each to their own, but even if i could afford to buy an ipad I certainly wouldnt be buying one for my daughter!!!! But I actually dont like apple products and have never and will never own one.