Regardless of purchase price, how often do your kids get a new (to them) toy?

I hear parents talk about the weekly trip to Walmart and how their kids end up with a toy every time. And the parents actually realize that there is nothing there the kid really wants, so the kid is desparately looking for anything to bring home. Or the kids who go with mommy to the grocery store/drugstore and get candy at every trip as a reward for good behaviour.

I usually avoid taking my kids shopping as much as I can. And I set expectations before we walk into the store. Such as today we are only here to buy X and that's it, it is not a toy day. Or you can each pick out one book.

I told my son that he would get a toy if he brought home a good report card. He was sooo good in school that week - as he's not old enough to quite understand that one week wouldn't make a difference ;)

Well my daughter is the only one whom plays with toys BUT I do not get her a toy on a regular basis but she does love to go with me to the thrift shop and if she see's something there I might get it for her.

I dont want her to think everytime we go out that she can have something new so I make her do chores and get her something as a reward.

Ingrid's not quite old enough to ask but Isabel is at the perfect "gimme" stage. Fortunately we have always taught her that just because we're at a store, it doesn't mean she's entitled to anything.

She does get a commission for several chores that she does and some of that money (she has jars for saving, spending, giving) is hers to do with as she pleases. She is slowly starting to learn that if she spends money on one thing it means not getting something else.

This doesn't mean that I never buy the girls something, it's just not so regular that they expect it.

My dh is worse than the kids when it comes to this:) Nobody has gotten any new toys since Christmas as far as I can remember. My dd knows that she doesn't get something just because we go to the store. Occassionally, when they are really good and haven't asked, I'll get them something clearanced. For instance, at the end of summer, all of the shovels and buckets were dirt cheap (pardon the pun, lol) and I got them each a shovel for $.25. Really, our families spoil the kids and we don't need to buy them any toys. Our house is packed to the gills with toys and I simply remind them of that if they ask for something. I ask them what they want to give up, lol. We just don't have the room. I also do not buy them candy at the store. We often talk about the unhealthy aspects of it and that's enough for dd to not want it. Ds is really too young to understand right now. He wants it and he wants it now!!! We're still working on it.

this is one area im horrible at. i guess my son gets something just about everytime we go to the store. and as a result hes a spoiled little brat now when i do try and tell him no. but im not the only one whos guilty of it. when we go to family birthday parties he sits over there and cries about "wheres my birthday present?" so family members usually end up buying him something too. i dont know how to break us of this habit, because when i try to be firm and stand my ground then he starts the crying right there in the store. any suggestions??

Too often. I could work on this. :(

My dd is so used to getting nothing, she never even asks. Even for Christmas, her gift from us was three new books and one used X-box game disc. I have been trying to convince her she needs new shoes for spring, and she keeps insisting that the sneakers she has been wearing since August are "just fine".

The only time the kids get new toys or games is at birthdays or christmas, I give them a small basket at easter. in the summer when i go to garage sales I pick up a few nice toys or games and them put them away so when they have been really good I can give them to them I also watch clearance and if the kids have been really good I might pick them up something. My problem is my puppy I have to watch my self I would bring him a new toy each week.... (lol) my kids say my puppy is a spoiled brat but i have gotten better about not buying him new toys. My kids have asked for some new books, i am more likely to buy those. But they have to do extra chores or do really good in school.

My dd is only 2, but she does see things at WM, and points. So far we have stuck to the rule we set before she was born. Which is that she only gets toys on her birthday, Christmas, and we buy her an Easter basket with a few toys. I would do this even if we were millionaires. I want her to appreciate her birthday, and Christmas, and be excited about them. My best friend basically gives her kid anything she wants. And, this little girl still has toys she hasn't opened from 2 Christmases ago. Drives me nuts!

Well, my "kids" consist of two dogs and three parrots. :) They get new toys about once a month. But I also recycle their toys, so their "new" toy might be a toy they had four months ago, but lost interest in, and was washed and put away. I make my parrots their toys, and the toys usually get torn into little splinters, so only the acrylic bead parts of their toys gets recycled. One of my dogs has occasional fits of, "I must tear the guts out of this particular stuffed animal NOW," but for the most part, they just chew on them, so the stuffed animals last a long time. I keep a toy box in their room, and they can pick and choose from about a dozen. When everything starts looking tired, I go to the thrift store and can usually get new ones for about .25/item.

Well, I'm bad. I was raised like this and I'm in my 40's! My parents and grandparents every holiday, every visit, every trip to the store we got something. I have done the same with my kids both my two grown kids and my two little ones, 8 & 5 years old, and love every minute of it!!! My dh was raised just the opposite. We have recently come to a compromise that has worked better than I ever imagined. I buy for birthdays and Christmas and the kiddos get an allowance and anything else they want they have to buy it with their money.

I have been so surprised how frugal they have become!!! It is great seeing them weigh their little purchase out in their mind, trying to decide if they want to turn loose of their money or not. Most of the time they don't buy. I have also been so proud of my 5 year old, not one time has she been upset when I've told her if she wanted it she had to buy it with her money or she didn't have enough money and would have to save up!

Now for me...it has been hard to break the habit and sometimes I feel bad and want to buy it for them anyway, but I haven't given in. I know they are learning good lessons by being in charge of their money and have been very proud that they had this little frugal streak in them and I never knew it!!

I was always a spoiled brat growing up. Eleni only gets a toy when she saves her money for it. She will ask, but usually it is for grocery items!;)

Growing up it was Christmas and birthdays only. I can't even fathom having asked my parents for anything during the rest of the year. Guess what--I still had plenty of toys to play with. If DH and I have kids, it will be the same, Christmas and birthdays. That's twice a year; that's more often than I buy myself new shoes.

dd only gets a new toy for christmas and birthday...I do not want a overly spoiled kid. I will rarely buy her something when we go to the store.

halloweenfreak - you need to set up something to teach your ds that you are no longer going to be buying him something everytime you go to the store. Plan on a trip to the store to get just a couple of things, that you don't really need, because you will be leaving your cart in the store and carrying your child crying out to the car.

Explain to him that you have made some bad decisions and that it isn't fair to him for you to buy him something everytime you go to the store. Tell him that from now on he will have to save his money if he wants a toy or candy AND he will have to bring it with him when you are going to the store. Tell him that today you will be going to walmart to get x and that you will not be buying him anything. When you get to the store and he starts whining about how he wants a toy or candy or whatever he wants, tell him firmly that remember how we talked and that you were not going to buy him anything at the store today? At this point if he stops whining then you proceed to checkout and buy what you came for and leave. Success, this time at least. If he continues to whine, ask, cry, or anything, tell him that you are very sorry but now you are going to have to leave the store. At this point take him to the car and go home. He will probably be throwing a fit that you are sure to be embarassed about, but believe me, every parent has BTDT, including me! People will understand, as long as you calmly take him to the car.

When you get home he can go to his room until he calms down at which point you can talk it over with him and explain everything again. Tell him that you will not be buying him toys when he asks, whines, cries, etc. You will not be buying them on a regular basis ever again. AND DON'T! This could take a few times of doing this for it to sink in, but it will eventually. And then 1 day when you are at the store and he is being really good, you can say, hey why don't we pick out a new toy today, because you have been great and I want to buy you a new toy. Don't buy him 1 every time, but just occassionally. If you do it everytime he is good, then he will expect it again.

This is a hard thing to break, but it will be the best thing for him in the long run. Good luck!

Jennifer - homeschooling mom to 4

I rarely buy my kids toys for no reason. Birthdays, Christmas for sure. Maybe if we are working on some positive reinforcement and they are doing sticker charts, the end result is a toy. Sometimes I am at the store and see something that would be great and will buy it and surprise one of them. But I rarely just buy a toy for no reason.

Jennifer

OOOHHHHH!!! I've been one of those parents carrying out the screaming child, leaving a full cart. The whole ride home I heard 'YOU STOP THIS CAR RIGHT NOW'.

Believe me, saying that you'll leave if your child does "X" one more time and actually following through leaves quite the lasting impression.

if the grandparents are around...a lot.

honestly, we don't buy that many toys for the boys...grandparents do that for us so maybe, once every 6 months or so from us.

Christmas, birthdays.. that's it. A small trinket toy on occasion.

We were buying way too often. It stopped when I realized DD was expecting something everytime we were at the store. I did end up carrying her out of Walmart sideways while she twisted and screamed. DH was there so he finished up in line while I put DD in the car. Oh, my, was that an experience! Now, we've agreed on Christmas, birthday, and a gift in her Easter basket. VERY rarely a little treat while we're out.