Do I get DD the toys she wants or the ones I want? - Page 2

[laohaire]

No advice, but you're not alone; I wonder about this too.

DD has asked for a few toys that have not proved to have long term play value. One toy in particular she saw an ad for (she watches DVDs but not TV programming, but this particular DVD had an ad, sigh), and she wanted it for a long time. Close to a year, maybe, before she got it. She really enjoyed getting it and she did indeed play with it a lot for about a week. But... Yeah. That was pretty much it.

DH tends to get her the flashy plastic toys that she sees on the shelf and wants, and I tend to try to go for more open-ended stuff. So she gets both. Honestly, I can't say that she prefers one or the other. I've certainly gotten her duds. So has DH. And we've both gotten her stuff she has gotten a lot of long term play value from.

DH has a memory of wanting an AT-AT Walker for Christmas one year. It was all he wanted. He would have gladly had that as his one and only gift for the whole year, Christmas AND birthday. He didn't get it. He was seriously disappointed. He never got it. He knew it was on the more expensive side (probably $60 back then?) but didn't want anything else, so it probably would have been within budget if it was the only thing.

But... I'm not hearing the same level of fervor in your description of your DD's choices. It doesn't sound like those are burning passions, just things she saw that caught her eye. But I don't know her and I'm not getting all the info.

I'm getting the Christmas gift for DD this year (DH and I trade off it seems - I personally hate getting her more than one or two since she gets SO MANY from everybody else). DH thinks what I picked are total losers. They are not what DD would have picked out of a catalog. And he could be right. We'll see. I put a lot of thought into my choice and am betting we'll get good play value... but I could be wrong. (FTR the two gifts are a colonial girl costume and a set of sturdy paper dolls).

[meemee]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial 

I think the house is a good idea, but I'd also get her a few of the things she asked for.  Sometimes, those flash in the pan toys hold the best toy memories.

oooooh i was about to come and say this. 

this is so so so true. i remember this longing i had been holding in my heart for what all those years till dd was old enough to get her what i'd always wanted. and then when i saw it i thought what. i expected so much more out of it. i held on to that feeling for NOTHING?!!! i woudl have discovered it right then and there had i got it.

some of my treasures still are silly cheapo plasticy toys. and the memories behind them. like this little tiny spiderman. see with dd she is not a toy girl. but she always wants toys but only to see how it works. we waited 4 years before she got her DSi. she hasnt played it for the past 7 months. i waited 3 months before she got her hello kitty phone. she was done in a week. however i will say i love the phone. 

i think self discovery is a great thing. and its a learning skill too. dd is exposed to enough bright shiny ads. thru catalogues. but because she's had a few of those junk useless toys, by the time she was 6 she knew how to 'view' ads and commercials. whether they are for kids or adults. 

[Youngfrankenstein]

Originally Posted by meemee 

some of my treasures still are silly cheapo plasticy toys. and the memories behind them. like this little tiny spiderman. see with dd she is not a toy girl. but she always wants toys but only to see how it works. we waited 4 years before she got her DSi. she hasnt played it for the past 7 months. i waited 3 months before she got her hello kitty phone. she was done in a week. however i will say i love the phone. 

I have no qualms about this.  I have gotten things for my older kids that I just know they *needed* to have.  If I felt like those items were that way, I'd buy them.

FTR-I did get her the house and the Lalaloopsy doll and her brother got her a Zooble.

[pianojazzgirl]

Yay!  Op, from your recent post I have finally (after years!) figured out what "FTR" stands for!  LOL!!!

And, it sounds like you did good with the gifts.  ;)