My kid wanted an iPod 5 for Christmas. Before this, he wanted a new computer for Christmas. But, then his only waking thought became an iPod
My kid is 9 years old. He asked me many times. He sent me links to where I could get an iPod 5. He told his Grandma that he wanted an iPod 5 for Christmas
My son-in-law also wanted an iPod. He's 24. But he did not ask for one for Christmas. I just knew he wanted one, since he had lost the iPod that he purchased three years ago.
My twins, age 15, have iPods, second generation. And all of their friends and many of my 9-year- olds friends have iPods of various generations.
My husband said no, our 9-year-old does not need an iPod. He needs to focus on reading and creating and other things, like playing outside. The iPod will consume him, we both agreed.
Then, I was at Target and just for fun, asked the salesperson to show me the iPods, and as he guides me to the iPod section in the store, he begins talking about the iPod 4 and how, since it's half the price of the new model, I should consider the iPod 4. The salesperson was very convincing; telling me one of the only differences was the addition of Siri, a voice-command option. The guy was convincing, so I bought one for my son-in-law, and thought about one for my 9-year-old, after all.
But, when I got home and fished around for comments on how my 9-year-old felt about the iPod 4, he said, "no way, that one sucks." Got to love the honesty of 9-year-olds. (Now you see the language in our household used by my fourth grader. I'd rather have nothing, he informs me.)
Oh? He said he'd save up on his own to buy the 5. Or wait till his March birthday.
OK. What have I done here as a mom?
When I asked my daughter what her husband, my son-in-law, would think about the iPod 4, rather than the IPod 5, he was fine about it. He did not need the iPod 5.
Hmm. Comparing the two generations. This young generation of kids wants the best and the newest and the most elaborate techy things.
Reminds me of another conversation I had with my 9-year-old around the phone I own.
Went something like this:
"Mom, I'm really embarrassed," my 9-year-old says to me.
"Why?" I ask.
"It's your phone. It's really old. Why don't you have an iPhone?"
"Well, I don't really need an iPhone and I don't want to pay the 30 dollars per month data fee, since I do most of my Internet research on my articles from home on my computer, where I have all the data I need," I reason with him.
"But, it's just so embarrassing seeing you with your old phone. Even the neighbor has an iPhone, and he doesn't make as much money as we do. It shows we are poor," my 9-year-old concludes.
Okay, so that is how my 9-year-old views the technology we have at home. It's about status and what that represents to the world.
When I told my pediatrician (who's a friend of mine) at my kid's next appointment about this comment from my son, she laughs and pulls out her phone, which is even older than mine. It does not even have a 26-letter keyboard on it like I have.
So, the kid got no iPod 4, 5, or i-anything for Christmas. He got a coin counter and Star Wars Legos and an airplane-making kit. And my son-in-law got the iPod 4, but we didn't tell my 9-year-old, since we don't want any comments from him or any comparing, even though he made it clear he did not want an iPod 4, anyway.
My 9-year-old eventually figured out we gave his brother-in-law the iPod 4 and now he wishes he had one after all.
But after a few days, that wears off. And, my 9-year-old is in his bedroom, using his coin sorter to count money and building forts with his friends and crafting Star Wars ships out of his Lego set. He's outside playing basketball with his new basketball -- another Christmas gift.
That is working for now.
He does remind me that his 10th birthday is coming up and that is where we can "focus all the money on him." Man, this kid is smart.
For now, I am happy to see him playing Legos and basketball. And counting his coins.
And wishing for what he might get for his birthday.