Do your kids have everything?

[MagicalMom]

My DD (who will turn 13 on the 12th) is very upset. Her best friend just got a new computer & internet access for her bedroom. She also has a DVD player, flat screen TV, new stereo, etc. etc. etc. My daugther is extremely upset that she doesn't have all of these things. She has an older television. I had the cable shut off in her room b/c she was caught many times staying up late & watching TV. Do all children actually have all of these things? I don't even have a flat screen TV.

 

[Mskanga]

Mine don't have a flat screen TV but yes they do have their own tv and vcr's in their rooms with satelite TV , and also the little one has the computer in her room with internet access , the oldest did not want the computer in her room. The oldest has her cd player in her room too.
We actually don't have a problem with them watching tv late , their tv receivers are programmed with a code so if I set them up, the tv shuts off at a certain time and they can't turn it back on unless I do.

 

[MagicalMom]

Oh gosh, I guess I better get with the times. She hasn't been this upset since I told her that I wouldn't buy her a pair of Timberlands for $100.00 plus when she outgrows her shoes every 6 months.

 

[LScot]

No. Mine is only 10 but still...
No, and she won't. I don't think it is necessary for kids to have all that stuff and I don't believe that it is good to hand them everything they want either. I believe it is a disservice to our kids and not teaching them about RL. I think we have to learn to be able to say N-O to our children---doesn't mean we love them any less!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Tell her my two did not have TV's till they were out of HS. They both did have CD players.

 

[jel0511]

Do all children actually have all of these things?

Yes, and some MUCH more! I couldn't even begin to tell you what some of the teenagers in my neighborhood have. My oldest is only 6, and our basement is a virtual playground. They have their own family room down there, with TV, DVD, Playstation 2, computer, CD player, it's all there (along with about a bizillion toys). I don't know if I'll allow them to have this in their rooms (youngest is 3), since I have a place for it, and it's not in their rooms. We also have satellite, and I'll probably program the TV like the previous poster when they get older.

 

[Feralpeg]

Guilty! DD has a TV with DVD/VCR in her room. She has her own laptop, although it is not connected to the internet. She has a portable DVD player and CD player. She has a phone in her room and a cell phone. The cell phone is only for calling me or emergencies. She wants an MP3, but we haven't got to that.

It really isn't her fault. She doesn't ask for these things. I just get them for her. I think it is the older single parent of an only child thing. She is a great kid and I love doing things for her. I guess if she expected things or was a problem, I'd be less inclined to give her so much. She meets and exceeds my expectations on a regular basis. It makes me happy to give her things.

 

[MagicalMom]

Well, my two oldest do each have their own CD players & Playstations. The Playstation 2 is for the entire family (mostly DH). They're not totally deprived. I just didn't realize children had their own computers. I can't imagine spending that much on them at such a young age.

 

[Karel]

Originally posted by MagicalMom
My DD (who will turn 13 on the 12th) is very upset. Her best friend just got a new computer & internet access for her bedroom.. Do all children actually have all of these things? I don't even have a flat screen TV.

No.

I don't believe in tvs in their bedrooms. I want to know what they are watching and how much. We did buy them their own computer to share (3 kids, 13,12, 10) but that was because we don't want them to screw ours up! It sits downstairs right next to ours.

We did buy a wireless connection for our old (very old) laptop and my oldest takes that to his room occasionally for AIM.

We have thought about getting them a tv to play video games and if we ever build a family room, we'll probably get one.

I like to spend money so we do things together, not be apart doing our own things. There's time enough for that.

 

[jennyanydots]

my kids share a room. they have a tv with a built in VCR and a DVD, and cable, in their room. they have a boom box in their room. no computer, we only have one for the whole family to use. each has a cell phone, the younger one has a walkman -- older one broke her brand new walkman and I am not inclined to replace it. we're not really into computer games, so no playstation.

 

[binny]

nope Cam has an old computer ( read 486 ) in his room but that was just because we didnt have anywhere else to put it at the time. Not that its good for anything, I dont even think it has a modem lol.

They each have a radio/cd player but they hardly use them.

Thats it no tvs no vcrs and no cable/sattelite. No intention of getting them one either They have enough eletronic stuff.

 

[lulubelle]

Our DD17 has pretty much everything she could want. Nice 25" TV, flat screen moniter and computer, expensive stereo, cell phone that takes picutures. But I never allowed her to have a Playstation or any of those game machines. I thought TV and music were always ok but didn't want her to spend countless hours "shooting up the galaxy" or whatever In hindsight, it probably wouldn't have done much harm as she is a great girl with a good head on her shoulders. Funny the things we parents do!

Good luck Magical Mom, I'm sure it will all be fine in the end

 

[oogieboogie]

the kids share a computer (the only reason they have one is DH upgraded his) and they just recently have a tv with gamecube because their DGPs gave us their old tv.

If I get a house with a decent family room, they won't have all that stuff in their room. There's no need for it. Plus, if it's in the family room then when they have friends over I can watch over them.

 

[llij]

Wow! That's a lot of stuff. No TV's or computers in our kids rooms, but they are still pretty young..... Although, we don't plan on letting them have them in their rooms when they are older. It might be that both DH and I never grew up with TV's in our rooms. (Of course, we didn't have computers or internet connections in the dark ages!)

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

Ours don't have TV's, computers or stereos in their room. Unless you count a boom box or CD alarm clock!

They share a cell phone - but it's a family thing and it's to be used to call us and/or in an emengency. Most of the time it's plugged in charging. We use it when we go to the mall and want to go our separate ways. (We are two hours from a mall, so this is a planned event!!)

 

[ZachnElli]

My kids have a computer that they share in a built in desk area that is in between their rooms. We have a bonus room, which is basically the playroom and it has a tv and dvd/vcr. They will not have any of this in their rooms as long as I have something to say about it. They both do have cd players.

 

[lisajl]

Our oldest (DD 18) used to have a tv in her room when she was younger. We took it out after it quit working and never replaced it.
She watched tv into the wee hours of the morning.

So now our kids have their own stereos, and we just gave DD a used laptop for college, but no flat screen tv, dvd, etc.

Why on earth would we do that? I mean, we would never see our kids! they would be cooped up in their rooms watching God knows what.

I like having my kids around.

Lisajl

 

[slo]

I have a feeling that my DH and I are going to have many battles w/ our DD's over the type of things mentioned here. We both don't believe in children having a tv in there bedroom, and I can guarantee that when our children are older that will be a battle. Why???? Because I want to see my children. If they have a tv in their room they would be locked up in their room all the time and I would never see them, except in passing. Plus....there are so many things on basic cable that I would not want my children to watch. For example.....Pulp Fiction was on Bravo the other night - this is not my idea of acceptable viewing for my DD's.

Anyway, I consider myself a pretty "with it" mom, but I can admit, that I am overally conservative on certain topics. So to all you moms that have children ticked off at them because they don't have everything, I will be in that same boat with you all someday, I can guarantee it!!!

 

[aprilgail2]

Well since my almost 5 year old still sleeps with me I guess you could say she has a tv in her room since I do LOL....but she does have her own TV and DVD player in her playroom amd a Playstation 2 she got for Easter. In her playroom she has her own computer and a cable modem. She doesn't have a big CD player but she has a diskman. She also has a digital camera...it was cheaper to get her one of those than to keep spending money on film and developing pictures of half a face or the ground LOL.

 

[Pooh's Pal]

Originally posted by Feralpeg
Guilty! DD has a TV with DVD/VCR in her room. She has her own laptop, although it is not connected to the internet. She has a portable DVD player and CD player. She has a phone in her room and a cell phone. The cell phone is only for calling me or emergencies. She wants an MP3, but we haven't got to that.

It really isn't her fault. She doesn't ask for these things. I just get them for her. I think it is the older single parent of an only child thing. She is a great kid and I love doing things for her. I guess if she expected things or was a problem, I'd be less inclined to give her so much. She meets and exceeds my expectations on a regular basis. It makes me happy to give her things.

From another older single parent of an only child...I wholeheartly agree with you...if she was at all a problem, I wouldn't off bought and/or given her any of that.