Just a little vent...

[Dawnlight]

How about he change the Santa gift to something more modest and let the PS4 be from the parents?

I've seen posts floating around on FB and message boards about how it's better for the modest gifts to be from Santa and the more expensive ones from the parents so that kids who aren't as well off don't question why Santa leaves expensive gifts for some and pajamas and socks for others.

Just a thought to consider.

 

[diznygirl]

The fact of the matter is that the opinion of bunch of strangers on an internet message board should have no bearing on whether any child believes or doesn't believe in Santa.

 

[nugov2]

Because her brother asked her not to. I'm not sure upsetting him is worth it for a few games If he wants to purchase something she finds inappropriate (for whatever reason) another year I would hope they could also discuss that before hand. People's feelings are much more important than "because I wanted to", or "I don't understand". His kids, his Christmas.. go with the flow. Save them for birthdays and find something even cooler. And honestly.. if I asked you not to purchase something and it came in the mail I probably would just not give it to them. This could blow up into something huge when OP could just be the bigger person and move on.

*For the record I would be fine with the games.. but as I said I have had trouble with Grandmas and Santa before.. so I can sympathize with the brother*

The OP made it sound like it was previously okay, but after realizing Santa was bringing the ps4 things had changed. Under those circumstances I'd come with an alternate solution vs sending them back. I'd send a letter stating they heard they asked for a ps4 and heard they were very good so felt sure they'd get it.

What?? Maybe we live in different kinds of areas, but I don't know any 7-year-olds who are browsing the internet enough to learn the truth about Santa. Oh, and I teach, and I can tell you that it's very normal for a child of that age to still believe.

Also some parents have parental controls on their computers. My kids can't just start randomly typing seach terms in Google and access the page. Predetermined pages are okay and the rest needs my password to access.

 

[luvsJack]

The 9 year old already knows. The 7 year old probably knows, or at least suspects. Nobody says they can't be kids. But kids know the truth way before most parents are willing to admit.

And you know this how? Therevis nothing odd or wrong with kids this age still believing and no, its not always the parents not wanting to believe differently.

 

[AddictedtoDoleWhip]

How about he change the Santa gift to something more modest and let the PS4 be from the parents?

I've seen posts floating around on FB and message boards about how it's better for the modest gifts to be from Santa and the more expensive ones from the parents so that kids who aren't as well off don't question why Santa leaves expensive gifts for some and pajamas and socks for others.

Just a thought to consider.

I think that's ridiculous.

--

OP: I honestly think that your idea of giving it to your SIL to wrap and say its from Santa as well is a good idea. That way your brother doesn't have to worry about his children finding out that Santa is no longer "real." I know that when I got a new video game console there were some games at my Dads from Santa with a small note saying "I know you open gifts at other places so I wanted to spread out my gifts to these places!" I thought that was pretty cool.

 

[LisaR]

A 7 year old who still believes in Santa?? No way! He must not be a Dis Kid. By that age he should have already taken an AP class, been left home alone for a long weekend, and he should be walking the four miles home from school by himself to his empty house. Poor kid is really behind.

I'd send the games, tell the brother not to give them to the kids until after they open the PS4, and if they ask how you knew that they'd be getting the PS4, just have your brother tell them you talked to Santa in advance.

 

[LiveYourLife]

Not to derail the thread more, but you know what burns my biscuits? Family members who make your life a living hell regarding Christmas gifts for their children! I've got one SIL who sends us on a wild goose chase for gifts (ie: sold out toys), another who can't comprehend the plethora of text messages/voicemails asking "hey, can you please send us x,y, and z's Christmas list?", and the last one who is like the OP's brother. This year I've decided I'm not going to bend over backwards and I'm just doing gift cards! I hate to do that, but it's just getting old. Last time I checked, Christmas comes on December 25th this year, just like it did a year ago, and many years before that - it should not be that hard to get a wish list together and figure out what will be Santa gifts, what will be Parents' gifts and what is leftover to give as suggestions for Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Godparents, etc.....

 

[jerseygal]

A 7 and 9 year old are now supposed to be too old to believe in Santa? That's first and third grade. I guess kids these days are expected to grow up faster and faster.


Anyway - Are they being sent to you? If so, you could just hold them back until just after Christmas. Or you could say that their dad told you they asked for a PS4 from Santa and you wanted to get them some games to go with.

Certainly HOPE that my future grandchildren are believing in Santa at 7 and 9, geez instead of being tied to a stupid cell phone with Internet at that age! Keep the games and tell them that you found out from Santa that they were getting the PS4. I personally would never inconvenience someone who was nice enough to buy a gift to ask them return. I would instead figure out the explanation to my kids.

 

[sdjen]

How about he change the Santa gift to something more modest and let the PS4 be from the parents?

I've seen posts floating around on FB and message boards about how it's better for the modest gifts to be from Santa and the more expensive ones from the parents so that kids who aren't as well off don't question why Santa leaves expensive gifts for some and pajamas and socks for others.

Just a thought to consider.

The PS4 is my brother and his wife's decision and I am not getting in the middle of that one! My SIL is a pain to start with and I couldn't imagine how mad she would be if I suggested what she give her kids for Christmas! We are only "allowed" to see them once a year if we are lucky so it isn't worth a fight to me about this. I agree though that larger gifts should be from parents but they aren't my kids. I have learned to not get things for them without checking with her first. Takes away some of the fun for me but that's just how it is. They have been together for a long time and it will not be changing.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I think the OP already came up with a good solution. Personally, I don't think two little boys are going to sit around on Christmas morning analyzing where their gifts came from. At that age my boys would have said, "We got a PS4! And games! Let's go set it up and play!" That would have been it. No speculation. No questions. Just a couple of excited boys with a cool new toy.

 

[Hrhpd]

How about he change the Santa gift to something more modest and let the PS4 be from the parents?

I've seen posts floating around on FB and message boards about how it's better for the modest gifts to be from Santa and the more expensive ones from the parents so that kids who aren't as well off don't question why Santa leaves expensive gifts for some and pajamas and socks for others.

Just a thought to consider.

What do parents do when all the gifts are from Santa? All our gifts were always from Santa with just one or two from the parents. We did the same for our children. And while I sympathize, I am not going to change our family traditions for unknown families. I do what I can to help even up the disparity by sponsoring several families and making donations to toy charities, but I am not going to change what we call the presents. Kids aren't that stupid anyway. They will see the disparity whether it is from Santa or the parents.

As for children believing, I always "thought" my children believed well into 5th and 6th grade. My children and all their friends have now 'fessed up that they had it figured out long before that, usually around 6 or 7, but they loved believing, knew they got Santa presents and wanted to do it for us, so they kept up the game until late elementary school.

 

[nugov2]

How about he change the Santa gift to something more modest and let the PS4 be from the parents?

I've seen posts floating around on FB and message boards about how it's better for the modest gifts to be from Santa and the more expensive ones from the parents so that kids who aren't as well off don't question why Santa leaves expensive gifts for some and pajamas and socks for others.

Just a thought to consider.

I get what the message is, but our family tradition since I was little was always that Santa brought one big thing that the parents never would get. It was always put together by the elves and ready to play with. It was always our biggest want. We have carried this on with our kids. One big Santa gift and a game, books, clothes and one smaller want with an extra special gift from daddy.

My kids have mentioned so and so got an x box when they didn't and never thought twice about it. I usually steer their expectations. DS said maybe I'll ask Santa for a PS4 this year and I simply said why would he do that when he got you a PS3 two years ago? Then you'd have no games either and you already have so many ps3 games. He said oh yeah thats right, I think I'll ask for a scooter instead. My dd wanted to ask for Rick Riordan book due to release October 2016...I said even Santa can't get a book that hasn't been written and released, but I bet he could get you a couple of your favorites autographed by rick riordan and she was like , that's a great idea. It isn't difficult to redirect to things you already had in mind or to set their expectations to what's realistic for your family situation.

 

[maxaroni]

Not to derail the thread more, but you know what burns my biscuits? Family members who make your life a living hell regarding Christmas gifts for their children! I've got one SIL who sends us on a wild goose chase for gifts (ie: sold out toys), another who can't comprehend the plethora of text messages/voicemails asking "hey, can you please send us x,y, and z's Christmas list?", and the last one who is like the OP's brother. This year I've decided I'm not going to bend over backwards and I'm just doing gift cards! I hate to do that, but it's just getting old. Last time I checked, Christmas comes on December 25th this year, just like it did a year ago, and many years before that - it should not be that hard to get a wish list together and figure out what will be Santa gifts, what will be Parents' gifts and what is leftover to give as suggestions for Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Godparents, etc.....

When our nephew was about 7, my SIL gave us a couple of suggestions that were on nephews list. Get together on Christmas, opening gifts. Nephew opens our gift, throws it on the floor crying that he doesn't like it. SIL asks us to return it. No, don't think so. Argh.

 

[bsblady01]

when I was little the big stuff always came from santa and we got clothing from mom and dad

 

[bsblady01]

Seriously kids should know there is no Santa Claus at aged 7. They probably know a lot sooner than we did because of the Internet. As soon as mommy or daddy wasn't watching they googled Santa Claus

my kids are not allowed to use the computer without an adult around and then they are only allowed on a few sites. and a child in second grade still thinks santa is real.

 

[bsblady01]

Not to derail the thread more, but you know what burns my biscuits? Family members who make your life a living hell regarding Christmas gifts for their children! I've got one SIL who sends us on a wild goose chase for gifts (ie: sold out toys), another who can't comprehend the plethora of text messages/voicemails asking "hey, can you please send us x,y, and z's Christmas list?", and the last one who is like the OP's brother. This year I've decided I'm not going to bend over backwards and I'm just doing gift cards! I hate to do that, but it's just getting old. Last time I checked, Christmas comes on December 25th this year, just like it did a year ago, and many years before that - it should not be that hard to get a wish list together and figure out what will be Santa gifts, what will be Parents' gifts and what is leftover to give as suggestions for Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Godparents, etc.....

ask her to do an amazon wish list for each of her kids, that is what we do for my kids so our family knows what too get and what has already been picked.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

When our nephew was about 7, my SIL gave us a couple of suggestions that were on nephews list. Get together on Christmas, opening gifts. Nephew opens our gift, throws it on the floor crying that he doesn't like it. SIL asks us to return it. No, don't think so. Argh.

If my child had acted like that I would have been appalled, and would have explained the concept of gratitude, or at least of pretending to like something in front of the gift-giver later on so it wouldn't happen again. Sorry you had to deal with that.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

my kids are not allowed to use the computer without an adult around and then they are only allowed on s few sites. and a child in second grade still thinks santa is real.

I had Cybersitter when my kids were younger. That was over 10 years ago, though. They tried to delete it, crack the password, etc., but never could.. heh heh It was useful during their middle school and high school years. My sister-in-law doesn't allow her 13 & 15 year olds to have their own computers or smart phones. Seeing so many posts about the damage to 'kids' psyche due to bullying I give her kudos for being so strong. She and her ex are very much involved in their boys' lives, and they have loving relationships. Her boys accept the rules, and have other things to do. In today's world they would be considered too sheltered, but they'll "grow up" soon enough. Right now they are a joy to be around, and I look forward when they spend weekends with me. They remind me a lot of how we were in the 60's and 70's and things that interested us (without being 'Brady-like')

ask her to do an amazon wish list for each of her kids, that is what we do for my kids so our family knows what too get and what has already been picked.

Today's version of the Sears catalog. I spent hours looking through that thing when I was a kid getting ready for Christmas.

 

[bsblady01]

I had Cybersitter when my kids were younger. That was over 10 years ago, though. They tried to delete it, crack the password, etc., but never could.. heh heh It was useful during their middle school and high school years. My sister-in-law doesn't allow her 13 & 15 year olds to have their own computers or smart phones. Seeing so many posts about the damage to 'kids' psyche due to bullying I give her kudos for being so strong. She and her ex are very much involved in their boys' lives, and they have loving relationships. Her boys accept the rules, and have other things to do. In today's world they would be considered too sheltered, but they'll "grow up" soon enough. Right now they are a joy to be around, and I look forward when they spend weekends with me. They remind me a lot of how we were in the 60's and 70's and things that interested us (without being 'Brady-like')



Today's version of the Sears catalog. I spent hours looking through that thing when I was a kid getting ready for Christmas.

I remember the jcpenney Christmas book as well

 

[wishesuponastar]

It doesn't bother me in the least how old a child is if they believe in Santa. I just waited til my kids told me they don't believe anymore. I would never tell a child not to believe.

OP, maybe you can put a note in with the games that Santa told you they wanted some games. Your brother should give them the games after they open the PS4.