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Anne McD
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| Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 10:05am | IP Logged
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Hello, Ladies!
Wow, its been awhile since I've visited the boards!
I could use some direction so as to avoid buyer's remorse.  My kiddoes recieved a few Barnes & Noble gift cards for Christmas, and while I don't want to just hand them over, I also don't want to completley spend them for them. What I'd like to do is give them some options for what they can spend it on. What I'm afraid of is getting something that we could have checked out of the library once and would have been done with it, or buying something the kids really don't like.
I guess I'm asking-- what would you do with your children's giftcards??
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Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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LucyP
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| Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 12:14pm | IP Logged
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Well our two were sent £5 each from great aunty and uncle, and also our son has earned money from St Apollonia and they have money in their money boxes. They are 2 and 6, and we have talked about options - I let them look through a natural toy catalogue and we talked about good play value and value for money and wise choices, but in the end, dh and I have decided what we will buy - they will like it, but I decided a peg loom would be a good choice. When they are are older I will give them more autonomy, but for now, they have an input, but we know how to make a decision they will be genuinely happy with in the longer term. Smaller amounts (up to £2) I let our 6yo decide how to spend, but he gets very disappointed with some of his choices when they go wrong!
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 12:51pm | IP Logged
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Well, I have lists of books that my kids would love to have.. so we'd just go with lists and find the particular books we already know we'd want. But give the kids the choice among the books already picked out. Like if my son would rather have the first aid scouting book or the survival handbook etc.
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ekbell
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| Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 6:09pm | IP Logged
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My mil often sends gift cards to a bookstore which has an online storefront.
I use the wishlist feature to note books that I've seen recommended by trustworthy sources. [Every once in a while I sort out my wishlist and add notes]
With my youngest children who aren't actually reading yet, I'll buy books that I think they will enjoy as a read-aloud from wishlist.
With my younger readers, I'll pick out a few fiction and non-fiction options that I think they'd be interested in, and then we discuss which ones they want (subject to the limits of the gift card).
With my middle schooler, we discuss what sort of books she'd like. I then check the wishlist, search my memory and poke around recommendation sites for her. We look at what I've found and she makes the final decisions.
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Barbara C.
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| Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 7:37pm | IP Logged
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We let them choose what to use it on for the most part, but we do offer guidance. And sometimes we put our foot down if something is a safety issue or previously forbidden.
For instance, during a recent trip to B&N oldest DD first wanted to buy a diary. But after recent bad experiences with home-made diaries they have been ban forevermore. Then she wanted a make-up design kit with "real make-up) that was all lead-based--we said no due to safely issues, especially with younger children in the house and a pregnant mommy. After an hour of hemming and hawing we finally made her leave without anything because there was nothing there she really wanted. (She was very upset at leaving empty-handed, but we weren't going to let her waste her money on something she obviously didn't really want.)
In the same trip, middle DD (age 4) picked up a water-color paint book and a VeggieTales video. The painting book ended up being a bit of a waste, but it's a lesson learned about making choices. Plus, sometimes it's nice to have disposable things to get rid of without feeling guilty.
For the most part, I figure that it is their money to do with as they wish. Now I make it clear that once the money is gone it is gone. We talk about the long-term use of things and sometimes read on-line reviews. I do sometimes offer suggestions or reminders of things they've wanted in the past. But in the end the mistakes are there for them to make and learn from.
Of course, I don't have strict anti-twaddle policy either.
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Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
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florasita
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| Posted: Dec 31 2009 at 7:40pm | IP Logged
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our children love the bookstore gift cards they usually go to the movie /cd section . Our ds9 always chooses such interesting selections like music from China or Thailand etc. there are so many items that are not even books now like sticker books etc. we don't usually have money to purchase dvd so we tend to buy those when we can . Books we have a really good library so we do not purchase many books . Books that are say older books from my Grandmothers day that I would want to purchase and the library dosen't have them or religious books like we found a beautiful book ST.Ciaran and our library just does not have many books on saints only the more well known ones  . Our children just always ask when in the book store if they can get something or not even if it is with thier own money they are pretty good at knowing what we let into the home . ds9 wants to go and purchase a snowglobe with the gift cert gramma gave him from chapters so as you can see there are so many options .
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Anne McD
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| Posted: Jan 02 2010 at 7:30am | IP Logged
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Thank you for the input! I think I'll peruse some booklists for ideas on keepers, and let the kids pick out a few (with rights of last refusal!) as well.
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Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: which books to buy??
