Would you buy an iPod Touch for a 7 year old

[Abbeygurl4]

A 7 year old boy who has broken 4 Nintendo DS's! This is my SIL who waitresses 7 days a week so she doesn't have to take care of her child. They live in squalor and she's too cheap to pay $17/month for trash service. My dh comes from a really weird family, but this just blew my mind.

 

We make 5x what they make and would never buy an iPod Touch for a 7yo and our dc take excellent care of ALL their things. This just really irks me.

[Element]

I definitely would. It's a great "intro to Apple products" without forking out all the money for an iPad. I think they are much more durable than Nintendo products and it makes a lot more sense than just buying another ds.

 

Still, I'm sorry you are having a hard time with dh's family. I have btdt w/bizarre-priorities-IL's who ALWAYS make me :confused::banghead:. (One of them received a settlement, bought some giant TVs, a motorcycle and $7k worth of plastic surgery, and three weeks later was begging for a job on Facebook because she couldn't pay her rent.) There's nothing you can really do or say about how your SIL spends her money so just try to shrug it off and be thankful she's not your parent.

[Samiam]

Yep, my youngest got his at age 5. To me, it's no different then getting him a Nintendo Ds, except that we don't have to pay $30 a game that will get lost .

 

SIL' spending habits , that's a whole different topic.

[higginszoo]

My brother bought one for my 7 year old. It's not something that I would have bought her myself. She already had a history of generally being careful with things. It just isn't where our financial priorities lie, though. My boys had previously saved on their own to buy iTouches with their own money, which is generally the approach that we take with anything like that.

[cdrumm4448]

No. My son got one when he was 9. He's dropped two of them and shattered their screens. The first time Apple replaced it for free with a refurb. Now they don't sell refurbs at the store and the online ones are $169. So, I just found a place that will repair it for $75 and he has to pay for it.

 

The 7-year-old is begging for one. She'll have to wait.

[DawnM]

In HER situation, it isn't a good idea, but my 8 year old kind of has his own ipod touch.

 

I bought it for me. About 3 months after I bought it, I was given an ipad. About 7 months after that I got an iphone.

 

8 year old is the only one who seems to use the ipod touch anymore. It does have an otterbox on it though, so I am not worried about it breaking.

 

Dawn

[justLisa]

My 6 year old has an ipad. She takes good care of it. Why do you care how much money someone makes and what they buy?

[JenMama]

Santa bought my 8 year old one with an otter case. She gets a half hour on that after she does XtraMath.

[marbel]

I doubt that I would have, if they'd been available when my kids were that age. But my kids weren't super careful, and we were too cheap to buy something like that.

 

My kids have them now and they are great.

 

But why does it irk you? Does your SIL ask for financial help from you?

[kokotg]

My 6 year old got one when he was five. probably wouldn't have bought him one if his older brothers didn't have them, but we do a few long car and/or plane trips a year, and they're GREAT for those (and, as someone else mentioned, you don't have to buy a bunch of expensive games for them like a DS).

[ChrissySC]

I say no. For one thing, it is not an item that is not a necessity. Second, the child is not responsible enough. Age has nothing to do with this although it is often a contributing factor due to experiences.

 

And ... it matters not ... they will do as they wish. Some are just endulgent with their children and think nothing of responsibility to the family or growth experiences. Nothing we can do but stand aside with our mouths open inviting in the flies!

[petepie2]

No, we wouldn't. We don't do handheld gaming systems either, if that matters....

[fraidycat]

For my "hypothetical" 7 year old, probably. My DS is 6 and he uses mine or DH's Ipods all the time, with no problems. I'd put an Otterbox on it, just like DD9 has on hers - mine and DH's only have silicone sleeves, though and they have survived just fine. It's not a budget priority for us at the moment. DD got hers as a Christmas gift from my parents and DS got the 3DS. I'd rather deal with the Ipod than all the little DS games.

[ChristusG]

Well, not a 7 year old but my girls got their iPod touches when they were 2 and 5. :D This past birthday (their 5th and 8th), we upgraded them to the newest generation with the camera and video camera. They are having a blast with it.

[nmoira]

We make 5x what they make and would never buy an iPod Touch for a 7yo

Is your income relevant to that determination, or would you not do it under any circumstances?

 

FWIW, apps are much cheaper than GB games. It's possible the purchase could save money in the long run.

[kathkath]

my 6 and 7yo each have them. They only use them on road trips, long dr appts, or as a reward. We have lots of restrictions on them (no internet browser, etc). Many of their friends have DS but we opted to go the ipod touch route bc we could use games we already had on our iphones (no extra cost), the games are more educational and less addictive-seeming than ds, and no cartridges to lose.

[Mommyof4ks]

I bought each of my kids one last Christmas, and my youngest was six. In her situation probably not, because the basics are not being met, so toys can wait.

[Tree House Academy]

My 8 year old has an ipod and my 12 year old has an ipad. We do not, however, live in squalor. If we did, I would probably chose to spend what little mone we had on clothing or food...

[Scarlett]

2 different issues...or maybe 3. If he isn't responsible he shouldn't be given expensive toys. However, anyone with a IPod needs an OtterBox. I bought my ds an Itouch at age 9, he sold it and upgraded 2 years later---used his own money to pay for the difference. He loves it and has never harmed it.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Scarlett
edited to add: ds paid for his upgrade

[EJCMom]

My 7-year-old is saving up for one. ;)

[golfcartmama]

I would b/c with the DS and DSi you have expensive little games to keep up with. On the iTouch, they're all on it, so nothing extra to keep up with.

[bettyandbob]

I guess the answer is your SIL would and that's her decision. You think it's the wrong decision, but it's her kid, her decision.

 

If my kid broke everything, then no. If it was a financial strain for me, then no. I do know a lot of kids who have them. One child has developmental disabilities. He plays a lot of games on it. I think his mom has put some educational apps on it. He's had it a few years. It has a case with a lanyard some he can hang it around his neck and not lose it.

[Princess Peach]

I guess the answer is your SIL would and that's her decision. You think it's the wrong decision, but it's her kid, her decision.

 

:iagree: I'm guessing she does a lot of things you don't agree with. I wouldn't waste energy thinking on this one.

[BamaTanya]

I wouldn't, but it's easy for me to say because it isn't in our budget.

 

I've seen this many times in friends and relatives. I think they're making foolish choices.

 

HOWEVER I've also been chided by certain friends and relatives about the things I do. Like quitting my professional job to stay home with my dc. Or having so many dc. Or homeschooling.

 

I spend so much money on curriculum . . . so much more on books in general . . .

 

I'm pretty sure they think I'm nuts. Maybe even that there's something wrong with me. :D

 

As long as you aren't being asked to support her decisions with your finances, it's none of your business.

 

(Even though you and I could agree!);)

[J-rap]

I don't have a 7 year-old anymore, but no, I would not. But then I'm kind of old-fashioned that way.

[Farrar]

The questions here are all mixed up.

 

Yes, I would let a 7 yo have an iPod Touch. It's a great little tool for educational games, long trips, waiting in lines, etc. My 7 yos share one.

 

No, I probably wouldn't get one for a child that keeps breaking things, though we've found the iPod Touch to be more resilient than the DS, so I might get one if I felt the reason was that the quality of the DS was low (though that's a bit of a stretch as it's not that bad).

 

Yes, people should rethink their spending priorities with their children sometimes, but overall, it's none of my business.

[tabrizia]

My 5 year old is getting an iPad this week, we figured it was a better choice for him, since it has a bigger screen, and it should help entertain him in the hospital and after he gets home. I am actually debating getting a touch for the 3 year old for Hanukkah. She loves using my and DH's phone, and she would like to have her own, we probably won't have the money for it at the holidays, but both my older kids are fairly careful with electronics, plus they would have an otterbox on them.

 

I am not sure if I would in your SIL's case. My kid would have been helping to pay for the replacement DSes as well and would probably be helping on the iPod touch if we decided it was a better replacement, after breaking that many DSes.

 

Each family is different though, I try not to stress on what people are doing that is different then what we do, unless it is abusive, since it isn't my money or effort going into their family life.

[Dmmetler]

We used our credit card bonus points to get one for DD7. I think it's been good for her-she's able to FaceTime with her cousin in FL, who she only gets to see a couple of times a year and show her cousin parts of her life because she can take photos and videos, there's a social skills app that she uses that I believe is very helpful, and she has a lot of educational apps. She also ends being able to watch Netflix videos on it and listen to her music. I have a lot of features security locked so she has to come to me to be able to use them, and do have limits on when and where(for example, there is a " no screens when you have friends over rule, and she's not Llowed to have it in her bedroom). It's wonderful for car trips and the like. We have a good case with screen protector on it.

[Soror]

I wouldn't buy any of the above. I did let my mom buy ds a 3ds for Christmas after much begging from him, my mother and dh. I was outvoted but I don't think it is a good use of money and I am not a fan of kids spending lots of time on electronic devices. I think being bored is a lost skill :) That being said ds is extremely responsible and takes very good care of his things, his room clean and neat etc. He hasn't lost it or mistreated it at all. I do limit it, way more than dh likes, but that is my compromise since I didn't want him to have it anyway.

[Lizzie in Ma]

It would depend on the 7 year old. Our kids have always had electronics of some kind and have never, ever broken them.

[OrganicAnn]

My DD is not interest in electronics, it doesn't fit our values and the downsides are more for the upsides for us, so my answer would be 'no'. I guess I'd be think about how it fits in with your values and what are the upsides/downsides of it. For everyone it would be different.

[Mom-ninja.]

No. Yet I'm one of those weird people that don't allow electronics.

[Abbeygurl4]

I doubt that I would have, if they'd been available when my kids were that age. But my kids weren't super careful, and we were too cheap to buy something like that.

 

My kids have them now and they are great.

 

But why does it irk you? Does your SIL ask for financial help from you?

 

Yes, she does and I also send food over.

[Abbeygurl4]

My 6 year old has an ipad. She takes good care of it. Why do you care how much money someone makes and what they buy?

 

Normally I don't care and it's not my business. I guess it's just my SIL. I think the iPod thing was just the final straw for me. She completely neglects this little boy. He failed 1st grade partly because he probably has ADHD and she won't follow through with testing and she has never helped him with his homework and doesn't even know when the bus picks him up. He's been kicked off the bus several times this year. She NEVER cooks for him. She works as a waitress 7 days a week so she doesn't have to be around him too much (she's admitted to it). She decided to have a sleepover birthday party for him, came home from work that day and fell asleep and went back to work at 6 a.m. the next morning. Her dh, who isn't the father, had to take care of all the little boys at the party.

 

She's got a lot of problems and she won't do anything about them and because of this her son is suffering. I've tried to help but it's a very very complicated situation that would take too long to explain. You wouldn't really want to know anyways ;)

[GSOchristie]

Not in that situation, or actually any other. We try to limit screen time to, well, zero if I can get a way with it, but max 20 minutes per day. So it would be a waste for us. Occasionally I will let my kids play with my iPhone or iPad if there are extenuating circumstances, but not enough for them to have their own personal device. Maybe your SIL sees it as a way to placate him since she's not physically there. I know I'm more inclined to let my kids watch TV if I haven't spent enough time with them at day.

[Walking-Iris]

No I wouldn't either. We're very picky about the amount of technological gadgets we use and we share them as a family. My nearly 10 year old will probably finally get a DS next Xmas since he's asked for one. But it was like pulling teeth for a year for us to finally agree to let them have a Wii. I just hold a semi-Waldorf type opinion about those sorts of things. I'm also almost downright fascist about what games or tv shows/movies or websites they're allowed to watch/play as well.

 

For the OP--I understand what you're saying. That kind of attitude irks me too. In fact it irks me whether the person/family can afford it or not. It's just a part of our culture to feel entitled to the newest thing. People feel as though they are missing out or their kids are being deprived if they don't have what they assume everyone else has.

 

And technology is the big one. People don't stop to think what they'r espending money on. My MIL and FIL have three HUGE tvs--it's just the two of them!! My BIL and new SIL live in a delapidated double wide and yet they buy a new phone each every half year it seems... mp3s, iThingies, plasma tvs, game consoles. I just can't fathom spending money on those things when your house is in disrepair.

 

But it's not my decision or worry what people spend money on, but I have opinions about it. It's an illness in our culture to constantly be fondling some shiny box. I'd much rather buy what we *need*, save for some family entertainment within reason, save money for the eventual times the furnace will go out and put money into my kid's savings every month. But that' just me. We don't make a lot of money *at all* but we manage partly from having realistic and practical goals for our money. And when my ds gets that DS...finally...this Xmas..my boys will have to learn how to share. That's another thing I've noticed---no one shares anymore. Everyone needs their own personal shiny box.

Edited June 10, 2012 by Walking-Iris

[Scarlett]

Normally I don't care and it's not my business. I guess it's just my SIL. I think the iPod thing was just the final straw for me. She completely neglects this little boy. He failed 1st grade partly because he probably has ADHD and she won't follow through with testing and she has never helped him with his homework and doesn't even know when the bus picks him up. He's been kicked off the bus several times this year. She NEVER cooks for him. She works as a waitress 7 days a week so she doesn't have to be around him too much (she's admitted to it). She decided to have a sleepover birthday party for him, came home from work that day and fell asleep and went back to work at 6 a.m. the next morning. Her dh, who isn't the father, had to take care of all the little boys at the party.

 

She's got a lot of problems and she won't do anything about them and because of this her son is suffering. I've tried to help but it's a very very complicated situation that would take too long to explain. You wouldn't really want to know anyways ;)

 

Well, as others have pointed out this has very little to do with an IPod Touch. I do understand your frustratiotn....and I hope you continue to help this child and be a positive influence in his life.

 

:grouphug:

[Mommy22alyns]

No, and especially not under those circumstances. What are people thinking?!?! :confused:

[amy g.]

Yes. My 5 year old has an iPod touch ( that we can't find) and my 2 year old has an iPad.

 

Dh wants to buy me an iPad3 this week, so I can hand my iPad2 down to my 5 year old, but I'm undecided.

 

I've read that the battery life is shorter than the ipad2. I'm not sure I can handle that.

[acurtis75]

Yes. My 5 year old has an iPod touch ( that we can't find) and my 2 year old has an iPad.

 

Dh wants to buy me an iPad3 this week, so I can hand my iPad2 down to my 5 year old, but I'm undecided.

 

I've read that the battery life is shorter than the ipad2. I'm not sure I can handle that.

 

I upgraded to the 3 and haven't noticed a tremendous difference in battery life. I am probably having to charge more often but it isn't a major issue. I don't have an iPhone so for me the better camera on the 3 is really nice compared to my ipad2. I upgraded to get more memory and dh talked me in to buying the 3.

 

As for the original post, I wouldn't buy a touch for a child who broke multiple ds systems but I would buy one for my 7 year old daughter ..with an otter box case. I considered buying one recently. When I bought myself an iPad I intended to share with her for schoolwork and fun but find myself using it way more than computer so she doesn't get to use it as much as I planned. Then we bought one at Christmas for dh and her to share but he uses it all the time so we'll probably end up with 3 before the end of the year. That sounds ridiculous as I type it out but in our defense dh and I use ours for business and we travel a lot so being able to put some of her schoolwork on PDF is a major time and space saver for us.

 

Edited to add we also use it to store books for travel. I used to pack curriculum books, books for her to read, a DVD player, my laptop, colors & coloring books and toys. Now I just take my iPad and we share it. Unfortunately I need it more and more for work so another one would be nice. It will be refurbished.

Edited June 12, 2012 by acurtis75@yahoo.com