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Do you buy what is on your kids lists?


Fishboysmom

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My dd is 9yo. Soon to be 10.

She has some things on her list that I think she is too old for.

Littlest Pet Shop Pets is one of them.

She already has a set that she, of course, doesn't play with.

Yesterday at Target she asked for the talking donkey from Shrek.

 

I have bought her a nintendo ds, a couple of games for it, 2-3 board games, cd's, dvd's and other small things. My family is getting a Wii for the kids and some games.

And these are the types of things she mostly plays with. Everything else hardly gets used.

 

I don't know if I am doing the right thing by not getting some of the toys she has on her list. I know she will be thrilled with everything she gets but am I taking the fun out of it?

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It depends...

 

Last year my dd 12, wanted the Penguin from Happy Feet. I thought...cute right? So I ordered it and she loved it. But of course she is now 13 and it just sits in her room. Now this year I read about Rudolf and Clarice at BAB and thought...ooo cute! But for almost another 50 to just sit in her room?

 

Sometimes I think they just think...CUTE! And don't really think...Will I play with it?

 

So as long as you bought some awesomely wonderful stuff, which it sounds like you did, I do not think you are taking any fun out of it.

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I use a different method. My kids want everything and play with nothing. Each day, they cannot remember what was asked for the previous.

 

So, I buy what I know they will play with, what is safe, and what we have room for. Then I spend all of December talking about it, and making them think that's what they want. Then, they get more excited and actually do play with it, rather than some spur of the moment thought.

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We and the rest of the extended family try to cover most things, but there are some things mine just aren't getting. for example - $50-100 Lego Star Wars sets - those darn pieces will be under sofas, in sofas, stuck inside other toys and we'll never find them all to build the stupid things again.
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I use a different method. My kids want everything and play with nothing. Each day, they cannot remember what was asked for the previous.

 

So, I buy what I know they will play with, what is safe, and what we have room for. Then I spend all of December talking about it, and making them think that's what they want. Then, they get more excited and actually do play with it, rather than some spur of the moment thought.

I realized two things long ago:

 

1. If you ask what they want they will tell you what is "hot" or "cute" at the moment. Once they are done with it you are just out the money for a few days of fun. So I pay attention to what they actually play with and seem really interested in without asking and buy accordingly without asking for a list. They can make lists for Grandma/Aunts/etc.... but not for mom!

 

2. If you wait to ask what they want you cannot take advantage of clearance throughout the year.... and here at GD you know we have to take advantage.... :-) As they get older they realize that if they see something they really like in February to ask then.... and then if it continues to be something they enjoy they might get it IF I find a good deal.....

 

I think lists are overrated.... I have taught my children to be happy they get gifts because so many kids don't. By not making lists they are never disappointed because they haven't asked for anything that they have their hearts set on believing it's their right as the list maker to get something from that list. We all know our kids better than they know themselves so many times..... so you got things she will play with long past Christmas... I say don't feel bad at all about not getting the things on the list. She is old enough to realize how much cooler the things you got are compared to the toys on her list.

 

On the other hand my neice is 11 1/2 and dearly loves and plays with her littlest pet shop toys all the time and is getting more for Christmas... but she actually plays with the ones she has so that is a big difference if yours is already not playing with hers.

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ok my son is only 3 and because of a stroke he had he is a little behind. List ha I am happy if we get through what he wants for dinner....lol. I do Have a 13 year old cousin that I buy for.... I get to be the aunt that buys the thing the mom does not want to, last year it was an Ipod... this year it is a digital camera but shhh don't tell her that...lol.
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I agree with jbdinos. Lists are way overrated! I also buy what I feel each child will use the most. I do not like the idea of listing what a child wants for Christmas. We try to teach our children to appreciate whatever they receive. Christmas is a lot more fun when the kids don't have the "me, me, me" attitude. :yup:
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I use a different method. My kids want everything and play with nothing. Each day, they cannot remember what was asked for the previous.

 

So, I buy what I know they will play with, what is safe, and what we have room for. Then I spend all of December talking about it, and making them think that's what they want. Then, they get more excited and actually do play with it, rather than some spur of the moment thought.

that's exactly what I do after I've gotten my kids something, convince them over time that they would like this toy, and showing them the toy over & over... I have my kids make a list for grandma & grandpa and they get stuff off their list for them, but even that I help them decide what to put on it (we don't want/need any more legos...). they want everything so it's not too hard to steer them in a certain direction.

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I use it as a basis to get an idea what they want. My 13 yr old wants every electronic item known to man. He knows better. I get him what I get him (although he did get a lot from his list this year due to great sales both in store and online)

 

My daughter age 7 still believes in Santa. I just explain to her Santa can't get everything on her list. she also is asking for stuff I know she won't play with (or at least it will be at the bottom of the toybox within a week).

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Depends

Mom: "What are you going "to do" with it"?

Son: "Save it and take it out to look at evey now and then"

Mom to self: "Well you can put it on your list but you are not getting it"

 

It also depends how much bodily harm it could do to other son ;)

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My kids make a list (dd14, ds12) this is suggestions that get passed on to grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.

 

This year I did pull a couple things off the list.

They don't get everything on the list

 

ie DD and DS both want their own laptop/wireless internet connections/ etc.

 

This is not going to happen.

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DS8 is asking for a ATV. LOL yeah right!

I told him Santa cant carry a 4-wheeler around on the back of his sleigh. But he's

seen one too many xmas movies where Santa brings these huge gifts "magically".

He's just gonna have to be upset this year, if he's got his heart set on that one!

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Heck I am a list maker and I have passed this down to them, They make a list of what they would like, it's not a list of what they will get. I make lists of what I buy on Black friday, what cookies I make during Christmas and what I buy every one in order to keep track. So lists are second nature in this house.

Heck I have a list where the Christmas decorations go in the house, so I do not think lists are a waste of time

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My DD and now DGD have always made list. I have always told them you make a list for others to get ideas but it doesn't mean you will get everything on the list. This has been for Christmas & bdays. I teach them to be grateful for whatever they get because people don't owe you a gift a gift is just that a gift from the heart.

They have never been disappointed.

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My ds11 asked for a guitar, a "$59 mountain bike", and a remote control car. He is getting all of those things. My ds6 asked for everything under the sun. He is not getting nearly what he asked for, lol. Besides, what he wants changes from day to day. He's also the type of kid who is happy with anything he gets. Dd 20 months doesn't have a list, but I know what she wants. So far she is getting a big stuffed Dora doll that hubby and I picked up tonight, an Ariel ride on toy, a few little items from Claire's (hair things, bracelets, etc.), the purse set from Collections, and a My First Kitchen Set. She'll be thrilled. I haven't bought anything for dd 6 months, but she doesn't need anything. I'll get her a few things more for show for the other kids' benefit than necessity.
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I use a different method. My kids want everything and play with nothing. Each day, they cannot remember what was asked for the previous.

 

So, I buy what I know they will play with, what is safe, and what we have room for. Then I spend all of December talking about it, and making them think that's what they want. Then, they get more excited and actually do play with it, rather than some spur of the moment thought.

That's my trick for ds6, lol.

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I had to chuckle to myself when I read the heading for this thread. I have never before this year had my kis write out a wish list. My DS is almost 13 and DD is 7. My DD is super easy, but now that my son is getting older it is starting to get really hard. So one day I asked my DS to write out a wish list and explained that it doesn't mean you get what you wish for. I just wanted some ideas from him. Well my DD came in and asked what he was doing and so I explained he was making out his wish list for Santa. She said that she wanted to do it to. So here is my DD's list:

1. pink pants

2. Doll

3. green pants

4. pink hat

5. soccer ball

6. purple sweater

7. pretty gymnastic suit

8. soft sweater (notice she didn't put a color on that one LOL)

 

This was all she asked for. I loved the fact she even had the colors she wanted for clothes. Shoot, I remember at her age sitting down with the Sears Christmas catalog and drawing a circle around everything I wanted!! Out of her list, she only asked for 2 toys.....what 7 yro does that????

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heck no i don't buy everything they ask for. what i do is i watch and see if it's something they keep asking for not just a i want that one time thing. if it's something they keep asking for hten i get it most of the time they play with it. video games gt the most played with out of everything.
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I will usually give my kids the EToys catalogs that come to our house and they will circle everything they would like. Of course they know they won't get everything but it is a great tool for me to use when shopping and telling the grandparents what the kids want.
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as my dd is nearly 20 it may be "old fashioned" to ask for a list. Her daddy started the list thing years ago-we'd limit it to 3-5 things and caution her against extravagance.

 

This year all she asked for was an ipod. In years past the list may have been longer or equally expensive but she's understanding of finances this year. That will be all she gets..

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My son (18) is hard this year, but I asked him what he wanted and he wants a paint job for his car and new tires. I'm getting the tires, but not sure about the paint job (the tires are $107 each)

 

My daughter (15, almost 16) didn't want a car for her birthday present. She picked a new flute, so she has a combo present for her Christmas and birthday present because the price of the flute was a bit more than what I was willing to spend for the car. My son's car was only $1300 and so was hoping to keep it in the same sort of range for her. i bought the flute 2 weeks ago and she's been playing it for a few hours a day since. She has Midstate tryouts Saturday. If she makes Midstate, I'll still buy a car :)

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well both my dd want a cell phone and they arent getting this they are 10 and 8 to young some of their friends have one and they want one but they will be getting a zune to watch their videos and music clothes and one will be getting a diary and the other one a bratz doll that connects online they are getting 9 wii games to share among five kids five ds games my 4 year old dd is the one that is getting the most but her presents are the cheapest except for her baby alive everything else is a barbie car dora remote car dolls bratz a stroller set for her dolls and clothes my 2 year old ds is getting a power wheels jeep a remote control car transformers cars character mcqueen and clothes and baby jaguar and a diego that knows his name my 5 year old ds he will be getting a new scooter some transformers puzzles and like i said they will be sharing games and they will also be getting clothes and moon sand to share and thats not even fullfilling everything on their lists but they will be thrilled come christmas morning
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