do you limit what your child asks for at Xmas and how?

[chinadoll]

how do you guide you children into what they ask for from Santa at xmas....apart from bicycles (large expensive) I usually say one big present and a couple of small ones (books, color pens, selection boxes)....how about you?

[ursula62]

When my nephew and niece were very small my sister got round this one by explaining to the children that Mummies and Daddies BUY the presents and then Santa delivers them to all the children. This helped them to realise that there wasn't an inexhaustible supply of money and they wouldn't necessarily get everything they asked for.  She also told them that every year Santa would give a present to a poor child, and they used to enjoy buying one toy each for the toy service at the local childrens' hospital.

 

I think it helped them to manage their expectations and also made them kinder children....  One year my niece (when she was about 6 or 7) showed me a letter to Santa asking for some coffee bean earrings for her mummy. She hadn't asked for any pressies for herself in the letter. So I got the earrings from Argos that she wanted and wrote a letter from Santa on my computer saying that as she hadn't asked for anything herself she could have a special present before Christmas Eve so she could wrap it and give it to her mum in time for Christmas. She is now 16. She has still got the letter and never found out it was from me!

[woofgang]

better hope she's not an AB'er!!

[smudge]

Ah, what a brilliant idea & a lovely story ursula.

[jills]

that's so lovely ursula.  I wasn't really feeling Christmassy yet cos we've all had this awful flu that's doing the rounds, but that's just a lovely story.  I'm off to write some cards.......xx

[Philtaz]

My wife calls me Scrooge but I do try to limit it as much as possible.  Obviously I like to spoil them and hate to see them go without(within reason) but when you've got a bicycle, TV, DVD player, X Box, CD player, numerous dolls, fluffy toys, shelves full of books, wardrobe full of the latest fashions and you're only 9 years old you don't really need a lot more! My daughter continually harangue's me for a mobile phone but because she never goes further than 200 metres from the house when out playing she has to make do with a walkie-talkie, which I use for safety as it is more reliable than a mobile phone and not such an attractive item to a potential thief. It also means I don't have an unwanted mobile phone bill!

 

I always said I wouldn't sound like my parents did when I was that age but I often have remind my daughter that I had to learn to ride on a friends bike and didn't have my own until I was 14 and the only TV in the house was in the living room, not one in every bedroom!

 

LOL, Bah Humbug!

[gypsy]

i go over the top with my grandchildren ,,every time i go out i come back with more ..my other half says they will all have to move in the garage to fit the toys in i have bought,,my computer room is cluttered with them all so i will be glad to see them go,,i buy them something decent every month of the year ,,so when it comes to xmas i seem to have no control..my excuse is they are only young once,,,gypsy

[enigma]

 

Its getting to the stage with our eldest daughter that we are actually hard pressed to think of something affordable she hasn't got. She is only 7 years old and yet has more things than I accumulated throughout my whole childhood. We are also looking to limit the amount of presents this year as we are also expecting a new addition to the family any day now so time and money will be short over Christmas.

I think too many kids get far too much nowadays not just at Christmas as well, parents feel under increasing pressure to keep up with their kids demands and often compare with what other kids get at Christmas. Its time everyone in general got back to basics, Christmas used to be a family time when you could get a few days off work, enjoy giving and receiving small gifts, watch some Chrimbo telly and get drunk when the kids were tucked in bed.

I find it sad that so many families break up as a result of the pressure that Christmas brings, and that kids in general are far more demanding and much less grateful than in the past. It was nice to read your reply ursula and see that some kids still seem to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas.

 

[The Ponderer]

Oops ! This should have been my answer - forgot to change over user from the wife.

[meltoadhall]

with three children we have made them aware that we don't always have money for everything. they don't have stereos or televisions in their rooms and this christmas most of the presents came from ebay. but that didn't matter. we are a christian family and put more emphasis on the reason for christmas rather than things.