Too young to have all these items?

[MKR&*42]

I've got the energy to reply now

It's rather sad that kids are being introduced to technology so young and parents need to set some boundaries to allow them to enjoy some childhood. I had a PS1 at an early age and we played the classics like spyro and crash bandicoot and croc and I don't remember any boundaries yet somehow we knew we couldn't spend all our days indoors. We went outside, we had adventures in the woods and did all the usual kids stuff so it's sad when I see 6-7 year olds glued to their phones and ipads. Then again, I also think this "KIDS ARE STUCK INDOORS, GLUED TO THEIR CONSOLES" is a huge generalisation as I often see kids doing exactly what I said I did when I was that age so I think it's possibly old people worrying too much as well.

It seems you've got a spoilt brat on your hands. I remember being selfish and a brat at that age so she'll either grow out of it (like me, yes honest I did!) or get even worse.

Oh my God, Spyro and Crash Bandicoot takes me back!!! (Although I don't remember much about the games because I didn't play them that often). I think I played Croc when I was like 13 though lol (Loads of PS1 Games at my grandparents house for some reason, I don't remember ever asking for them nor my sisters so goodness knows how they accumulated them).

Haha, were you really like that? You don't seem like it at all Mike (even though I only know you via the internet ). I *hope* she grows out of it, but she already acts... in a sense 'mature' and she's definitely behaving like the stereotyped teenager I suppose. I fear that she'll be one of the girls in secondary school that is stuck up, stubborn and quite demanding. It's a shame schools have so little control over children these days because the problem is simply escalating, arrogance prevailed so much amongst students in my year and it was horrid to see that a teacher could do very little about it - sending a child out the class stops the disruption but will never remove the arrogance.

I genuinely hope she doesn't become one of the ******* who looks down upon everyone and is constantly moody =/ I don't want to be around that lol.

i can't see what's wrong with having a phone, it's not like she can do anything wrong with it. well, apart from break it but that would be her own fault if that happened. the same goes for an xbox. you can buy quite a few games which children can play at the moment, especially with the new kinect.

For some reason she hasn't begged for an Xbox/Ps3/any other games console and I can't figure out why. She seems to simply been encased in a world where phones/tablets/laptops are her greatest importance. Ultimately, there is no GREAT harm in her having a phone (with the only possibility being her breaking it like you said) but it was really a waste of money IMO. She's barely going to text anyone who doesn't live on her street, and by the time she's at the age in which she'll be texting a lot more people from school, she'll be demanding a new phone. So I just think it was a waste of money on something that wasn't a necessity?

Sounds to me like your step sisters expect a lot.

Giving children everything they want doesn’t allow them to fully gain an understanding of values or appreciation, nor does it prepare or teach them on how to have goals and achieve them. Wanting and needing are two different things. There are many things I want, although most I don’t really need. Apart from money

Your mum gives in too easily, probably to be the perfect step mum, (she sounds lovely) whereas what she should be doing is speaking with their father, to find ways to reward special achievements, and regular pocket money for chores around the home. That way they can save for what they really really want.

Btw I would like a new car, but I don't really need it

They're my half-sisters and we all have the same mother haha. It's the step-dad that differs (I have a different father to both of them and unfortunately don't know mine). They don't speak to their step father anymore because *I believe* my mum went into a legal battle to try and lose his right to seeing them (he was originally entitled to weekends but something must have happened that I wasn't informed of) and it worked out for her. Trying to speak to him about raising kids properly, is like trying to speak to a brick wall anyway

They do earn money for doing stuff around the house now and then, and my mum often gives them money on occasions but it just doesn't seem to be "enough". I know they're only 10 and 11, but they should ideally be taught about the benefits of saving up money (because I'm 90% sure she can own a bank account with Natwest at 12) instead of wasting it on non-important, materialistic goods.

This is the digital age, it is to be expected. Most of us grew up even before the arrival of flatscreen computers/tv's. As technology develops kids will want more but it's all they know.

I suppose it is to be expected, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try and stop it from overruling children's lives? I genuinely wish I hadn't been so crazily addicted to my laptop throughout 13/14/15 (yes I'm the hypocrite now ) years of age because it destroyed my social life really. I don't want them clinging onto materialistic goods over friends or potentially education .

[Catchetat]

they should earn/deposit the $ before getting any of these items. I only have a laptop and an old nokia phone! you feel a lot happier when u actually spend ur own $ rather than the parents.

[wiktoria]

i had a laptop when i was 11 but it was like a family laptop or smin dno.
my cousins are so spoilt it's ridiculous. she's like 8 and has an xbox, a wii, and a laptop laptop and she doesn't even use any of it i don't even know why she's got it. my other cousin got an ipad for his birthday and he's 11 i think he actually uses it and plays games on it but it annoys me how they have all that **** and never play on it.
i think it's ok to get an xbox or something if you're actually gonna use it but it bugs me when you don't and just want it because it looks cool

[mrwoooooooo]

would you have been complaining if it was you receiving the gifts ? no. jealousy

[MKR&*42]

would you have been complaining if it was you receiving the gifts ? no. jealousy

Was waiting for someone to say 'jealousy'. I wouldn't have been complaining greatly, but I wouldn't have demanded the gifts? I already feel bad anyway when people give me stuff because I don't like people spending money 'on me' (which is why I don't ask for gifts at Xmas or my Birthday :L).

[Charz777]

I got my first phone at 11. Nokia 3410 ftw

My cousins are the same, but to be honest they are spoiled. One got a DS at 6, the other just turned 10 and has an iPhone. I've never even had an iPhone The 10 year old also has her own laptop and DS, and their dad had a PS3 which is technically the 6 years old's. It's pathetic. At 6 I still played with dolls and at 10 I played on my street on my bike or something with the neighbouring children.

Meh :/