To allow our children, or even outright encourage them, to have every single new and expensive electronic gadget out on the market?

nowadays, teens HAVE to have an ipod or mp3 (Or am I already outdated with even those?), when a cd player, or heaven forbid a cassette player, works just as well and is considerably cheaper? And in the case of the cassette player, you normally got a radio along with it.

With video games, there is always the standby argument that it increases hand-eye-coordination, but I mean come on, do you really have to spend 300 or 400 dollars on a brand new system which you KNOW is going to be outdated in a year or less?

If our teens are earning the money to buy these things themselves, it would be one thing, though still questionable after a certain point, but for us as parents to GIVE them these things when asked, or as a surprise gift? I for one don't believe in it. I refuse to allow my children (9 and 7) to have their own tv in their room (yes they share a room), and right now, we might as well not even have a tv at all cause we have an older one that does not have rca jacks, and the vcr broke, so we can not even hook up a dvd player through the vcr. I just don't see a need to change this. They have a small cd player/box in the shape of lightning mcqueen that will stay in their room once my mother ships it to us, but I do not like the idea of them having a game station as they will want to play it all the time. As far as a computer is concerned, I am going to build one for them that will allow them to do their school work on it, and such, but there will be no internet access to it (yes I am a bastard lol) and it will remain in a public room of the house, not their bedroom.

What do yu all think about any of this?

I am one of those parents who does not give their children everything they want. My son does have a cell phone but only because it's the only phones we have and I think it's important that I be able to keep up with where he is at all times. He does have an ipod.. but he saved up his own money to buy it. I think it is important to make your children either pay for or at least pay half of anything fairly expensive that they want. I think it makes them appreciate it more and take better care of it!

Hey Old Man!
Yep, we got our Schiwnn bicycles then...and our cassette players.
Let them get their own i-things...I got mine...oh, wait you do too.

My boys don't have tvs in their room, nor do they have Ipods or any of the other tech stuff most kids have. I think they should have to earn it. As in extra chors, etc. I've asked my 10 yr old, Tyler what he'd like for his bday an he told me a PS2. I'll gladly get it for him cause it's his bday an he asked for it. However, it'll be hooked up to the tv in the livin room so I can maintain control of how much he plays on it. As for internet access. I let Tyler get on the computer but it's in the livin room an I'm in the room payin attention to what he's doin. He's allowed 30 minutes a day as long as homework is done an his room is clean. I take away computer time for punishment.

I think they should work their way up

start em out on record players

and then when they earn it let em move up to 8 tracks

and then when they get to be teens let em have cassete players

and then when they turn 21 they'll get their first CD player

That's right Dad!
And my Kids still love me!

After reading the first sentence of this post...my answer is no..no ...no..and no...One children need to be taught some life realities. A reward system is a good thing yes but you must have limits. Also, kids need thier exercise and need to be enourged to go outside and play. It is really good idea to encourage extra activites after school also.

It's actually Mama! Don't feel bad u ain't the first to assume I was a man cause of my redneck pride pics.

When I was a kid, I wanted an Atari. There was no way my Mom was going to spring for one of those. So, my brother and I both got jobs walking beans that summer. It paid $5 an hour, and by the end of the summer the two of us saved enough money to buy the thing and a couple of games.

Make them earn it.

I can't believe the way people let their children run roughshod over them. It's almost like you have to answer to them. I always thought it was the children that had to answer to the parents.

yep, we had our cool stuff, their stuff is just way cooler than ours ever was.
My boys are older and buy their own, but when they were younger as long as they behaved I got em stuff, and they were behaved.

when I was a kid we were so poor the only toy I had was a stick

it came in two colors. oak and pine

I taught my children the value of the dollar way back when. I would match them dollar per dollar towards their gadgets. It seemed to have worked since they thought long and hard over the gadgets they just had to have.

Now they are doing it to their children

1. Kids should not be spoiled
2. Kids need to be exposed to new technologies
3. Kids need to learn how to use their time productively

I propose that there be a kind of public library of
sorts where the kids could go and check out the gadgets
and use them for say 30-60 minutes before having to
turn them back in for another person to use. That way
all kids regardless of their family resources could get
some time playing with new technology but in a controlled
way. Parents would be able to also see the novel science
and engineering and comment on its constructive use.
There would be time budgeting involved.

I wonder if I can get Bill Gates and Warren Buffet
behind this idea?

mingle2 hiccup

Hmmmm......


We have 1 computer, a PC..which is for the family to use, and we all take turns...

We have 3 tv's, however, two were inherited, and none are the you beaut flat screen job,...one is connected to an aerial, and the other two are used as monitors to watch dvds, or to play the x box on....the x box is not ours, but a loaner from an adult friend, who shall be returning home in another week.


My kids have mobile phones....we are scattered like marbles on weekends, the kids down the beach, at the skate park, out in the bushland playing, and it creates a safety net for fast contact in the event of an accident.


My youngest boy, who is 14 has an ipod nanno, that he got for his birthday last December, he has a 45 minute rural bus trip each way to and from school...it passes the time for him, when he has finished his homework on the bus....or to blank out the old geezer blues that emanate from the back deck, or his sisters' chick music.

My kids have access to technology, through their friends, and through school, and through our library...

They also own books, guitars, drums, firesticks, pushbikes, skateboards, rollerblades, hula hoops, fishing rods, surfboards, pushbikes, and have owned motorbikes and ponies..


Everything in balance.

What I don't get is why do people assume that just because your kids have "stuff" (whatever the stuff may be), that they are spoiled-rotten, running roughshod over their parents and all of society, braindead video game playing junkies?

My son has "stuff"? Some of which I buy, some of which he does, some we've bought together. I enjoy giving my son what I can afford to give him, I enjoy keeping up with technology (for both our sakes). I don't bother getting stuck in the rut of the past. Just because it was "good enough" for me or 10 years ago, doesn't mean he should be stuck with it. And yes, I think it's important that to some extent, he has what his friends have. For those of you who don't remember, it's not easy having your friends feel sorry for you when you don't have what they do, or having other people make fun of you for being out-of-date.

Is he spoiled? Probably, at least to some extent. Will it kill him? Nope. Does he run rough-shod over me or anyone else? Nope, again. He's a smart, capable, responsible (most of the time), normal teenage boy. As are his friends. Does he have an entitlement complex? No more than anyone else, adult or child.

Frankly, I listen to his friends talk and I have more hope for our future than I ever have. These kids are bright, articulate, socially and politically aware and active. If change can be brought, I think his generation is going to be the ones to do it.

Well when we had no money my kids did not have much

But now that I'm doing good I feel like I gotta make it ip to them. Well at least the younger one

It may be wrong but she deserves it!!!!

Got her a plasma tv. Laptop. Itouch. Phone

Sorry but I had to !

well said..

BTW, I should qualify that a parent has to work within their own income limits. I don't think you have to or should put yourself into debt just so your kids have the latest and greatest. My son has plenty of stuff that I bought on Ebay or from Craigslist or wherever. He has what I can COMFORTABLY afford to buy him but there are certain things beyond my reach sometimes. He gets that.

consider your self lucky it was not a thin hickory one