Would you let Santa do this.....

[D L and K's Mom]

My 9 year old really wants and I-Pod touch for Christmas. She has my old shuffle and has been very responsible with it but would like something to put a few Apps on. She has allowance money to use for music and apps. I said NO!!!!!!! Hubby says it is better than spending $ on the "Toy of the Day" as he likes to call them. You know, the toys they have to have but never use...last year a crayon maker and American Girl Doll Horse. She is really good about just getting one big gift. It probably will be about the amount we spend on her for Christmas.....We did this a few years ago with a Wii and she was fine with it, just one gift. So what do you think? Are we nuts?

 

[cindalu78]

My ten year old daughter wants one too. I told her if Santa brings one she will have to sign a contract about what acceptable and unacceptable use. Also that it would be on my apple account and she won't know the password to purchase anything. My daughter is pretty responsible so if I can swing financially we will probably do it. She wanted one last year but it wasn't a possibility.

 

[Granny square]

I'd do it. Not way ahead, but I'd keep it in mind as a last minute choice.

 

[descovy]

My kids got iPod touches last year and it was their main gift from us (we had stocking stuffers).

They came down on Christmas morning trying to count presents and not look disappointed. When they realized what they got they were WAY over the moon! So crazy excited.

It was far better than $150 worth of cripple-crap to look good under the tree. It made more sense to spend the budget on something they REALLY wanted.

Most games they like are free or less than $2. It is worth it, especially compared to a DS where games are $15-$30.

The only drawback is that i have NO idea what to get them this year now. they already have the perfect gift!

 

[100AcreWood]

My dd got one when she was 7, she is 10 now. It's been great. We load fun games and educational games on it, she uses it for her sleep sounds at night, she emails with her friends, and we turned off the internet to it so it's safe (just our opinion, we're not ready for her to access the internet without our supervision).

And she loves it so much we take it away as her punishment. Nothing hurts worse than losing your ipod touch .

 

[lizabu]

By the time my kids were your child's age I started doing the same thing. It's easy to spend $100 on legos or some garbage thats going to end up in the bottom of the toybox. I'd rather spend the money on something the child is realy going to want and use on a regular basis.

 

[meggiebeth]

I agree with PPs. I think it is worth spending the extra money on and a better gift compared to some toys that you would get them otherwise

I got an iPhone when I was 13, as did my brother. Rory who is 7 has an iPod touch and loves it. It can surf the Internet, go on YouTube and download apps plus take photos which he finds a novelty.

 

[jazz0007]

Just did this for both of my kids' birthdays. I told them to ask everybody that asked them what they wanted for gift certs to Amazon.....and then let them buy a Kindle Fire. I have them all under my account so I can see what they download.....plus they aren't allowed to download before asking me first. With the Fire at least they can read books too! My dh's family buys them SO much crap!! This was a good way to not end with a bunch of toys they'll never play with! AND it allowed ME to spend the $$ I would have spent on them on our upcoming SURPRISE Disney vaca.

 

[Vickie46]

I really think Ipod touches are awesome for the educational apps... if you can put some extra with it (like grandparents or have a garage sale) and get an IPAD that is even better. Its amazing what all the kids are learning from the apps these days.. (educational wise) It is teaching preschoolers how to read and apps for writing!

 

[LJSquishy]

I think Santa should go for it. It is something you know she will actually use, even for several years. You already know she is responsible and will properly care for it. If your daughter can understand the concept of only getting one big gift and won't be upset with not getting other items on her list, I would definitely get her the iPod Touch!

 

[mjkacmom]

Yes, this is normal. And it's wonderful! Instead of buying all of those toys they had to have, and then never play with, which just get good-willed a year later to make room for more of the same, you actually get them things they use all of the time, and enjoy for years.

My 9 year olds did this rite of passage last Christmas, and it was great. Xbox games, ipod touches (we have 5), kindle fires, cellphones, Uggs, Air Jordans... It's so much nicer having so much less under the tree. Every year, it's gets smaller and smaller.

 

[staciepm]

My 10 and 13 year olds both have them. They are linked to my account. Of course they were free thru the Charleston Explorers Program. If you ever visit or live near Charleston, SC google Charleston Explorers. It is a cool program and the end prize is an ipod Touch.

 

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
I would absolutely get one big gift that she cares about but I'd find it impossible not to get her anything else. Perhaps, a few smaller gifts that you find on clearance or things that she needs (clothes, socks, shoes) etc..
Santa brings three presents in our home but they are never anything expensive. He has too many kids to deliver presents too! Mom and Dad get credit for all the big ticket presents.

 

[stacie_d]

Yes! That is exactly what Santa brought my then 5 year old son last year. Well, that and a bunch of costumes (bought after Halloween for a couple dollars each.)

Watch for specials that come with free gift cards/itunes cards.

 

[poohfriend77]

Do you have other kids? My DD9 also really, really wants an iPod Touch. But even though she says she would be OK getting ONLY that, I still worry she would be a little sad when DD7 has multiple packages to open.

DD9's birthday is in January, so I'm thinking of waiting until then. The touch would likely be from us and Grandma, because it is more than we usually spend on birthdays (since it is so close to Christmas). But then I have to figure out what to get her for Christmas!

 

[MSSANDRA]

Our 5 year old LOVES his. I am so not into junk toys that are forgotten hours after they open them and the glitz toys they have to have for about one hour!

I would however, try to put something else under the tree, just because I LOVE to watch my kids open gifts. I would fill her stocking with fun little treats like lip gloss, body wash, socks, etc, that you can pick up from now until Christmas without spending much at all. Wrap up each thing. I would also pick up any clothes that she might need anyway, and wrap them as a gift too. If you purchase a case or gift card for it, wrap that in a separate box and save any gifts which come in from out of town family for Christmas morning opening. As long as she knows, she should be good. Does she still believe in Santa?

 

[ToddyLu]

I would wrap up a case and give her a nice stocking. I knew when Mom and Dad got me a big gift that my other options would be slim. I am sure she knows that. I would give it to her form Christmas though and something smaller for the Bday. My Niece 12 and Nephew 9 got theirs last year and they use them ALL the time. Christmas and Birthdays were a big deal growing up and my parents made the most of them because that is when we got our clothes and other items for the year.

Have fun this Christmas. Santa brought me a Nano about 5 years ago and I was over the moon!!!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

my aunts dd 12 wants a e reader for Christmas, she dont care which one as long as she can play games, so I managed to find one thats got alot of the kindle features but is only $60! my aunts oldest has no instrest in one curently (except for using it for facebook) but shes getting one too. This and a new sweatshirt is all they will get from there mom. There ok with it! They will get a case from me and ma too and some books I found free. They also are getting nice stocking stuffers cause I search freebies all year!

 

[bigmama67]

Another yes vote here...if that is what she really wants, why not? You could wrap up any accessories like a pair of earphones and a case...then, yes, the stocking stuffer things. We nearly always get the kids new PJs.

DD is getting a Leappad for her 4th birthday this year from Grandma (in October) and we got headphones for DS to gift to her...we'll wrap that separately. Meanwhile, DS (turning 10 in December) wants an IPod Touch and we will let him spend most of the money Grandma gives him for birthday (early December) and Hanukkah to get it...he has to put a certain amount in the bank and we will contribute the balance...anything over $200 he will need to save up from allowance. Hopefully that won't confuse him too much, LOL!

 

[bas71873]

My dd got one when she was 7, she is 10 now. It's been great. We load fun games and educational games on it, she uses it for her sleep sounds at night, she emails with her friends, and we turned off the internet to it so it's safe (just our opinion, we're not ready for her to access the internet without our supervision).

And she loves it so much we take it away as her punishment. Nothing hurts worse than losing your ipod touch .

DD9 got a Touch for her bday this summer and loves it. She's linked to our iTunes account and most of the games & stuff she downloads are free, but occassionally she will ask to buy something or upgrade a game. She got iTunes gift cards too that we loaded and we let her buy things occassionally. It's far & few between that she even asks.

What I was going to say about the Internet, we disabled Safari too, BUT, just this week I read on another thread about an app called K-9 Browser and it's a kid safe browser. DD never used Safari much (before I figured out I could disable it) anyway, and I'm not even sure she's realized K9 is different. She has used it to look up definations for her vocab worbs when she can't find them in her kid dictionary .

OP, you may know this, but there is a way to put restrictions on things on the Touch too in the settings. I have everything set to the restrictions DH and I choose and it's password protected (different password from Itunes) and DD does not know that password.