How often do you buy your children things?

[JudoMom]

The Christmas spending thread has be curious how often most of us buy our children things. Not required things, like clothing, school books, food, but extras like toys, games, books not required for school, and such.

 

I'm going to include a poll.

[Plucky]

My kids only get stuff on birthdays, Christmas, and certain medical procedures. A child that has surgery, a hospital stay, or even a pulled tooth will get something small. Other than that they buy their own toys/games.

[Deece in MN]

I haven't voted yet because I am not sure which option to choose. :)

 

We don't buy our dc a lot of extra stuff. They get money from different places (birthday money, odd jobs, etc.) that they can spend on whatever they want.

 

We do buy things like Wii games that we want as a family (I went out and bought Animal Crossing when it came out) or we go to the movie theater as a family when certain movies come out (Harry Potter, LOTR and Pirates when they came out, etc.)

 

These purchases are not as often as the voting options, but they are not reserved for holidays or birthdays only either.

 

So, if there were an other option I would have choosen that. :D

[Tap]

ETA: I give the kids money and they shop for themselves. I don't usually show up with gifts for them outside of holidays.

 

Ds buys items 1-2 times a year but he will plan a purchase for months, sometimes longer. His purchases are usually expensive video games or accessories for his board games, and he will anticipate its release from the time it is still in development! He will spend $50-150 in one purchase instead of a lot of little purchases. He will buy a book sometimes too but I usually buy those for him as thank yous for helping me with the 2yo. He will occasionally walk to the market with a friend to buy an ice cream but it is more about the journey that the prize.

 

 

DD will spend her money the minute she gets it. The Webkins craze hasn't helped this much. We put a limit on one new Webkins every 2 mths unless it is a present so that helps a little. She wants cheaper things, $5-20 so it takes less time to save for them :0/ I will limit her to buying one or two things at a time to teach her to save a little for something bigger.

Edited December 18, 2008 by Tap, tap, tap

[Annie Laurie]

I picked monthly, but have never paid attention so am not sure that's accurate.

 

Toys we don't buy except at Christmas or birthdays. First, my kids aren't that into toys; second, I like to keep clutter down and don't see a need for most toys. If there's a toy they really feel they need, they can earn it themselves.

 

Books are what we do buy often, I do like to take them to Half Price Books or Barnes and Noble and let them pick out some books periodically. I guess I just feel differently about reading, some of my happiest childhood memories are of books; my mom would take me to the used bookstore on the weekends and let me book out a book or two and I'd spend the weekend reading. The bookstore is a family treat.

 

Then things might come up like bubbles, a kite, someone outgrew thier bike, and so on. So things to play with outdoors that involve exercise we might buy here and there, and art supplies we buy a lot too. Those are all family things, really. The same thing with board games- we might decide as a family on a new game for game night.

[JudoMom]

I haven't voted yet because I am not sure which option to choose. :)

 

We don't buy our dc a lot of extra stuff. They get money from different places (birthday money, odd jobs, etc.) that they can spend on whatever they want.

 

We do buy things like Wii games that we want as a family (I went out and bought Animal Crossing when it came out) or we go to the movie theater as a family when certain movies come out (Harry Potter, LOTR and Pirates when they came out, etc.)

 

These purchases are not as often as the voting options, but they are not reserved for holidays or birthdays only either.

 

So, if there were an other option I would have choosen that. :D

 

:smilielol5: I took the "Colleen Option" and purposefully left the other option off. It sounds to me like most of your spending is reserved for Holidays & Birthdays since what you mentioned buying is intended for the family, and not specifically one child.

[beansprouts]

Whenever I have the money and the desire, whenever I think they need a little something to make them feel extra special. ETA: I have many ways of letting them know they are loved, but I do have one child in particular who really appreciates gifts.

 

My answer doesn't fit into neat little boxes :D

[Parrothead]

About once a month or so dd will get something when we go downriver. Usually it is a book, sometimes a toy.

[dm379]

I only buy for birthdays, holidays and extra good or generous behavior. Like last night at a party dd gave her candy cane to a girl that didn't have one so today we're going buy something special. They only get behavior rewards a few times a year since it is expected but it's nice to surprise them with a treat sometimes.

[elegantlion]

I voted monthly. Ds buys most of his own stuff, but dh will loan or chip in if ds is close to an amount. If we had more than one I'm sure it would be different.

[Gamom3]

.

[joannqn]

I picked monthly but that isn't accurate. It's more like 2-3 times a year besides birthdays and Christmas.

 

The biggest reason we buy things at times other than birthdays and Christmas is because my kids' have winter birthdays. We don't want to buy them summer season toys for Christmas or their birthdays because they wouldn't be able to use them for several months after. It's not very exciting to get a bike for your December birthday only to put it in the garage for 4-6 months before you can use it.

 

I'll also buy them something for medical procedures to keep their spirits up, for long car drives to keep them entertained, and I like to make/get them a small gift for when I come home from being out of town a couple times a year.

 

ETA: My kids don't currently get an allowance. Occasionally, they'll get a dollar or two for a lost tooth or doing an extra good job being helpful with chores/attitude/etc. So, they don't have their own money to spend really.

Edited December 18, 2008 by joannqn

[Erica in PA]

I really don't know how to answer this. Do you mean little things like candy? I usually buy each of my three kids one candy bar each when we go grocery shopping every other week, at 4 for $1. If you include little tiny things like that, it might be close to weekly. However, if you're talking about larger things like books and toys, that is much less often. Even that varies, though... if I spot an awesome deal on something worthwhile, I'll buy it for one or more of my kids. That happens every couple of months, probably. If you're asking if our kids have an ongoing flow of new stuff coming in regularly, the answer to that is no.

[linders]

If books were excluded, I could vote "holidays and birthdays" but...they aren't excluded. And we love books. And whenever I turn in books for credit at the used bookstore here, we all get more books. Sometimes we even snag new ones at Barnes and Noble or off of Amazon.

 

Just...can't...resist...books...

[dirty ethel rackham]

I picked bi-monthlly because that was the only thing between monthly holidays and birthdays. I pick up books every couple months. I don't buy toys or other stuff. I might get things they need - clothes, art supplies for class, things for Karate, etc when needed. We don't buy candy. If I buy certain foods - selfish me, I get what I have a craving for (but, of course, I share everything but chocolate:).)

[Apiphobic]

Often

[Emmy]

We only buy toys at birthdays, Christmas and a little something in their Easter basket (to cut down on the candy!).

 

I think the only thing that doesn't fit this pattern is when the boys have needed a new bike or equipment for a sport.

 

We do give them an allowance so they can save to buy little odds and ends, but typically they end up saving it up and buying a big thing. (like another lego set)

[Tracey in TX]

I don't have a schedule to buy items for DC. They receive gifts on Christmas and birthdays and maybe 2 times per year. If they're willing to spend money to buy their own item, I will often agree to help pay (maybe every other month).

[Kay in Cal]

I'm in the "often" camp too... I answered weekly. If we see something that we think they would like, it's not too expensive, behavior has been good, we usally get it. Many are in the "disposable" category -- my dh picks up collectable cards or comics for them every week when he has his "day off" at the comic store. I will occasionally pick up a single Playmobile guy we don't have if I notice one at Target.

 

We also pick up books or magazines for one another (dh and I) when we see them, not just for the kids.

 

The one exception is we try NOT to buy anything for a month at least before Christmas. Or we buy it, and add it to the stocking stuffers.

[Murphy101]

that's it.

 

books, clothing not included

those we buy as we can afford it or need it

[chiguirre]

I buy them stuff weekly in lieu of an allowance. They earn their prize by good behavior in outside classes and not driving me batty (at least too much) at home. The oldest gets sticky tack, duplos, pipecleaners and tape whenever he seems to be running low because he makes all of his own toys. The others get small (about $5) toys. I only buy big stuff for birthdays and holidays. They also love Happy Meal toys and will play with them for a long time.

[Sparkle]

I voted Holidays and Birthdays because that is generally when they would get things from us. The exceptions would be when we go to the thrift store, which is pretty frequently, if they find some 50 cent or $1 toy or a book or software they like, I will buy it for them. Also, when we go grocery shopping, I usually will give them a quarter or two for the vending machine. Otherwise we limit gift giving to Christmas and birthdays.

[TN Mama]

I answered birthdays & holidays only, but that would have to exclude books. We use the library a LOT but we also buy books regularly. I shop used books quite a bit, but I sometimes buy a book new from Amazon or with a coupon from Borders.

[MIch elle]

:auto:

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Only Christmas and their Birthdays. That's when they get gifts. I don't include clothing, shoes, school stuff, and other necessities in that, of course. We aren't the kind of family that goes into the store and comes out with stuff. It just doesn't happen.

[RoughCollie]

I buy my kids gifts for Christmas or for their birthdays. If they want books, I get them from the library. If I can't get them from the library, I buy them. That doesn't happen often.

 

RC

[bumbledeb]

I buy 'extras' often - weekly or more.

 

But not toys, no, no, no more toys!

 

Toys were making us all stressed because of the impossibility of keeping them tidy. So we all agreed to get rid of most of the toys (to the attic, they haven't been thrown out all together but I think everyone but me has forgotten about them.)

 

DVD's, books, Wii games, Playstation games, art supplies, board games, socks..... :)

 

Recently we have been trying hard to economize and we are all happily doing with far fewer extras but a set of pens or a colouring book here and there are always well received.

[Laura Corin]

The boys might get the odd book at other times in the year, but basically that's it. Calvin has an almost-Christmas birthday, so he gets his big birthday present on his half birthday. Apart from that, they get a small allowance and save up. It takes them between one and two months to save for a book.

 

Laura

[lionfamily1999]

I chose "monthly," but it's more like whenever we go shopping, lol. Not grocery shopping, but shopping for things. This week they've gotton two new "toys," moments like these, though, they only get one to two dollars to spend.

[Amy loves Bud]

I voted birthdays and holidays. In reality, we probably buy them something two or three other times per year as a reward or because they are good kids and we enjoy giving them gifts.

 

However, we purposely instituted allowance to put the decision-making on them. If they really, really want something, they will save their allowance and get it. If it's not really so important, then it's not worth saving for it. I don't have to say no, though I would if it was inappropriate, but that hasn't come up so far.

[TammyinTN]

We do a great deal of traveling about every couple of weeks. So, when he ask for something from one of the villages we get it.

[Daisy]

This is tough. We all have a monthly book allowance because well, we consider that like FOOD. Otherwise, my children get $3 a week allowance and they save up and buy what they want (usually a book, game, or legos). We spend $30 on birthdays and $50 on Christmas per child.

 

We might find a neat toy at a yard sale or goodwill that's a good deal and worth buying. Last summer we spent $30 at a yard sale and bought 2 copier paper boxes full of Thomas Tank Engine train stuff.

[Janet in Toronto]

Our teens get an allowance and are to buy extras from that. But from time to time we buy them things as well.

[Desert Rat]

I voted Holidays and Birthdays but really they occasionally get toys from us at other times. Sometimes they have earned it others it's just because.

[Jenny in Florida]

. . . I think that counts really only for books. Other than books, I don't remember any time in the last several months that we've bought either kid something "just because."

[kalanamak]

 

Just...can't...resist...books...

 

Oh, yeah. I even got an amazon credit card and pay for everything on it to get those 25 dollar reward certificates. I stroll through books, I rummage at Goodwill, I read "other books by" in the front, I look for an illustrator on Amazon and hunt for other writers they worked with. Books.

 

My socks are 9 years old and I got them in a big bag at Costco, but books slide in and out here all year long.

[imeverywoman]

Christmas and birthdays. If they've outgrown their clothing, then of course, I buy then, too.

[rafiki]

.

[Pretty in Pink]

I said monthly. A more accurate answer would be bi-weekly. I take them to the thrift store about that often to look for new silly hats, scarves, and other kooky items to play dress up with. My oldest ds usually comes away with a stack of books but they are just 0.39 each so I don't mind.

 

I do not purchase items at a regular store for them very often. Our oldest son saves up money for his bionicles and legos. I make some things for the middle boys, like little wooden people and animals.

[Lolly]

I have absolutely no idea. Whenever the urge strikes?