Kids and Christmas lists, ever NOT get the items?

[shaylahc1]

I like my kids to make lists, but they understand that they will only get some items from their lists. They also know to make reasonable requests. The kids always ask for crazy things, more as a wish than anything, and then I get plenty of reasonable requests. I was another one whose mom never shopped from a list and Christmas morning was a disappointment. That is why I try and include at least a few things from their lists.

 

[ilovejack02]

What is with kids wanting an Ipod touch this year?

My 15 year old wants one. I'm not even sure what it is. Is it like a cell phone that plays music that you pay a monthly fee for?

He already has a nice cell phone and an Ipod so I'm thinking a big no on the ipod touch but I need to figure out what it is first.

You can play games, watch movies, listen to music, text with it if you have the right apps, surf net, use the kindle app and read books.

I bought it because we travel so much I am tired of packing up the DVD player and movies , DS and games for DS8 . We can do all on one little device. He practices his math facts on my phone if we are running roads, reading etc, lots of neat apps of the itunes. Keeps his little grubby ; ) hands off my phone too .

 

[dyna]

I remember my daddy tearing out the picture of everything in the " Wish Book" that I said I wanted and putting them in a pile. I always expexted to get an envelope full of everything I wanted for Christmas.

Then there was the year I wanted a little TV for my room on Christmas eve mom put all the gifts under the tree an there was a box that said RCA 12 in" TV (we was not allowed to get down an read name tags or touch the gifts etc they was just to look at.) I looked at that TV box all night just knowing it was my TV I so badly wanted.

NO my brothers boots was in that box what happened to my TV I have no idea it never showed up anywhere in the house.

 

[caribear]

My kids definitely do not get everything on their lists! We make a list each year to give to aunts/uncles/grandmas.....and all those items are under $50. If something is too expensive I just tell them so....and they understand. My DD8 has been asking about a Wii for a while now...so we gave in and bought one for her for Christmas. She is only receiving the Wii system, an extra pink controller/nunchuck and 5 Wii games. The Wii will be from Santa and the other items from DH and I. DS3 is getting 2 wooden Thomas pieces and 3 GeoTrax pieces....both kids will have 2 additional gifts from grandma & grandpa who live out of state. More gifts will be received by aunts/uncles/grandma when we get together for lunch/dinner on Christmas Day.....from ideas listed on the under $50 list.

I don't believe in getting kids everything they want or ask for....somethings are just unrealistic for our family....and others are just items that DH and I do not think they need at that particular time. Does my DD8 want her own iPod Touch? Yes!! She plays with mine all the time....(or rather her, DH and DS3 fight over it!), but I am not spending another $300 on a second one....she already has a DS lite....although she really wants the DSi now....but it's not something she really needs.

We just spend 3 days at Disney last weekend....I told me kids they could pick out one item at the stores....with a max value of $15. My DD8 came home empty handed as she didn't see anything she "had" to have. I want to believe I am teaching her the value of money....and how material items are not necessarily the things that are going to make you the happiest.

 

[delmar411]

I guess I'm a sucker because I try to fulfill my kids' wishlists. But they don't write lists and we just ask them what they are interested in for Christmas.

DD12 is getting a IPOD Touch, it's the only thing she asked for and we already nix'd the idea after her g-pa took her out to price them. So she's going to be pretty shocked. She's also getting a DSi since her Lite went MIA over our last road trip. She doesn't know she's getting that either.

DS6 asked for a remote control helicopter. That's it. He's been asking for one for about a year. We got him one of those. The rest of his gifts are stuff we figured he'd like., action figures, Star Wars stuff, etc.

DS4 hasn't asked for anything specific. But he likes anything and he'll be very happy with his gifts. Cars, trucks, planes, Star Wars stuff, etc.

DD7 asked for LSPs, that's it really. She wants everything but she doesn't ask for anything specific. I don't know what they even asked Santa for other than DS6's request. She'll be very happy with what she's getting though. We got her a bunch of LPSs and a bunch of squinkies (before they were hard to find).

I wouldn't feel like a bad parent for not filling their wishlists but I would feel bad. It's hard to explain. We all have our hang ups from our childhood and this is one of mine.

 

[rumrunnergirl]

.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

What is with kids wanting an Ipod touch this year?

My 15 year old wants one. I'm not even sure what it is. Is it like a cell phone that plays music that you pay a monthly fee for?

He already has a nice cell phone and an Ipod so I'm thinking a big no on the ipod touch but I need to figure out what it is first.

Basically, it's an IPhone that can't make calls. It goes online, plays ap games, plays music, photos, videos. It's all touch pad based.

 

[Kat77]

Basically, it's an IPhone that can't make calls. It goes online, plays ap games, plays music, photos, videos. It's all touch pad based.

Wanted to add the Touch uses wifi, not 3G.
I love this. It means if my kids sneak them to school, they can not surf the net or text during class. The Touch can not be used in place of a cell phone because you need to be in a hot spot to send and receive any texts.

 

[Ava]

Well, then, it's your kids and my kids vs. the whole rest of the world! Or at least they think so. I threw that in because it was an example of something I just wouldn't buy for my kids -- so if it were on their list, it'd be an automatic "no".

In the spirit of full disclosure, I don't have a TV in my bedroom either.

My DD will be joining your kids in the battle against "all the other kids" when she's old enough to want a TV in her bedroom. Not happening. I never had a TV in my bedroom growing up, we don't have a TV in our bedroom now. When I did have a TV in my bedroom I found I watched much more TV & stayed up late watching junk just because it was there.

 

[princessbride6205]

I'm not buying everything on the list but I'm struggling to make my 3yo DD understand. I'd like to prep her so we don't have a Christmas morning meltdown. Explaining the true meaning of Christmas has been difficult.

To the OP, I think you are right not to purchase items you don't want your child to have. You're definitely not bad parents. I like the other ideas about setting up expectations and saying that you've told Santa no to the PSP and iPod. Perhaps you can prep him early enough to have him add a gift to his wishlist that you are willing to purchase.

 

[3boymthr]

Well, then, it's your kids and my kids vs. the whole rest of the world! Or at least they think so. I threw that in because it was an example of something I just wouldn't buy for my kids -- so if it were on their list, it'd be an automatic "no".

In the spirit of full disclosure, I don't have a TV in my bedroom either.

I wish, wish, wish this was me. But we only have a 5 room house and three of those rooms are bedrooms and the fourth room is a very, very tiny kitchen. I have an enormous living room but well, you can't put 2 (or 3) different TVs in it. I hate having a TV in my room that the kids want to watch but since DH is a sports TV addict it's the only way any of us get to watch anything else. Seriously, there are how many baseball games in a year (130+?) and DH has to watch all of them plus the football games plus the preaseason football and the spring training, oh, and the tour de France and let's watch these guy climb this rock called Everest... So the kids and I watch TV in my room. That even has gotten to be a fight as oldest DS has progressed beyond Nickleodeon and Disney Channel so now oldest DS is getting his own TV this Christmas. I take the opposite stance on the computers though.

 

[lyncecelia]

We'd go bankrupt if we get the whole list! DD7's list was 3 pages long at least alone! . I had to keep reminding them that they will not get everything on their list, DD7 is insisting she will. I just looked at her and chuckled. She smiled slyly in return . I think she knows that dear old Daddy's Girlfriend loves to spoil them

They, however, were not taught about Santa...so that made it easy to explain a bit. DD8 had a great idea that I had them all do. They can write the list as long as they want, but they need to star the top 3. This was kept with the knowledge that they still might not get all those either, however.

I really want to figure out a way to take them someplace to volunteer this holiday so they will see how well they have it. Both my DBF and their mom likes the idea, but I can't figure out where to take them!

 

[luvmy3]

My kids make a list and I get some of the things on it but not all. I also get things that aren't on their list. I also have no problem telling my kids that Santa will not bring you something because he knows mom and/or dad wouldn't want you to have it, and why.

 

[jackie101]

We do NOT get the children everything on their lists. We call it a wish list

 

[CherylA]

I am always amazed when I read threads about gifts on the "Dis". When my children were younger they were told that Santa picks "one" gift off your list.

Now that they are a little older they live by the rule in my signature below. So I will provide homemade cookies and some coffee and cocoa to those joining me in what is considered the "bad" Mom corner of this thread. Personally, I think we are the good Moms/Dads though!

Us too, Santa only brings one gift. The rest is from us. Now that my daughter is 8 she just asked why some kids get lots of gifts from Santa and she gets only 1. I told her that I can buy her a lot of the things she wants so I tell Santa he only needs to bring them 1 gift and can give the extra gifts to kids whose moms and dads can't but them for them. So I just have to worry about getting them each their 2 santa gift, other than that if they don't get it I can explain it was too expensive, I couldn't find it, they already had something similar etc.

 

[4forMe]

We do NOT get the children everything on their lists. We call it a wish list

Same here! Therefore, DS12 will not be getting an iPod touch, and the youngest will not be getting a puppy.

The kids do know that Santa is only allowed to bring items into the house pre-approved by mom and dad.

 

[HS3kids]

My kids dont get everything on their lists, but they get at least a few things.

Then again I would not get an 8 or 10 year old an ipod touch either. Or a cell phone or laptop. But thats me. We have different rules in our house for that stuff. The family desktop computer is fine for all. The only one who has an ipod touch and laptop is the 17 yr old, because she bought them for herself.
That being said DS10 asked for the dsi XL. He has the dsi light already but he has been talking about the XL forever so we got it. DD17 did not ask for a gps for her car, but since I want mine back and she has NO sense of direction, she is getting one. DD4 asked for everything she sees on tv. She will of course not get everything, but again, some things from her list will be coming.
Dont feel guilty for not giving them everything, I never got that horse that I asked for, for years, and Im okay

 

[sk!mom]

ROFL! That stuck out at me because my kids swear they are the last kids without personal TV. I won't do it either and they all know it.

But my DD14 "is the only teenager without a TV in her room." She also does not have a laptop or computer in her room.

Actually, though, she know she's blessed with a lot of extras and gave up asking for those things years ago. She doesn't even complain. She's very spoiled but I fear that I'd never see her if we didn't watch Glee, The Buried Life, and 16 and Pregnant together. As a bonus, I'm a with it almost 50 year old- I watch all the teen shows .

Senior year, she'll cash in as we need to buy those forbidden items for the college dorm.

 

[Kat77]

But my DD14 "is the only teenager without a TV in her room." She also does not have a laptop or computer in her room.

Actually, though, she know she's blessed with a lot of extras and gave up asking for those things years ago. She doesn't even complain. She's very spoiled but I fear that I'd never see her if we didn't watch Glee, The Buried Life, and 16 and Pregnant together. As a bonus, I'm a with it almost 50 year old- I watch all the teen shows .

Senior year, she'll cash in as we need to buy those forbidden items for the college dorm.

Well here I was almost believing that MY DD12 was the last child in America without a TV! When she was in second grade she DID plan to ask Santa for a TV. I told her to go ahead but if he brought it, she still could not plug it in... she asked for something else .
Her laptop campaign was in fourth or fifth grade, I told her it would be silly to buy her something she could not unbox until HS graduation but if that's what she wanted...
She's finally outgrown trying to obtain the forbidden. She still tells me she is the last girl on the planet without her own cell phone but her life is very good and she knows that.

 

[SplashMo]

We have no TVs in rooms no laptops in rooms.

Cellphone can not be in rooms at night