Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Why can't you get them something fun?

It doesn't make me second guess what I am doing with kids. I wish I would make them "get it"!

I guess it just caught me off guard because they live in another state so they are not used to being around the girls all the time, so maybe they just seem like requests.

Also, I don't mean to make it sound like that is all they have. Our backyard looks like a miniature Six FLags! They have bikes, skate boards, pogo Sticks...all getting good use!

They like to get ready for school early so they can go out and get "physical" before school.

I know I am doing good things with and for the kids, I often forget that what seems quite natural for our family (enjoying science experiments, etc.) is not natural for other families.

It still beats getting clothes for Christmas

That's exactly what I say. Fun is relative. I don't get many questions about it because people know DS4 and know what his interests are, or will get him something kind of brain stimulating and that usually works. But some people still don't get it. My in-laws will most definitely get him something that he won't at all be interested in...but that's fine. Otherwise people are pretty good at coming up with some ideas. He does still like some art stuff and every board game imaginable, and some building stuff so thankfully people still call those things "fun." But I was at toys r us the other day and there is a whole section there that he would never be interested in...with all the action figures and such. He could care less about all that and would have no idea what to do with an action figure. He would look at it and be like "now what?"

But would you have the same mixed feelings if your kids were asking for math books and science experiments, eema?

I wouldn't! Not a mixed feeling to be seen!

Well, sure, and I'm not saying I wouldn't get some things they didn't request or make suggestions of my own about what relatives should buy them. I know I would, for sure! But I wouldn't have any problem at all with their requests for books and experiments, and I'd try to be sure that their requests were met.

Well yes, I agree in some ways. Thankfully DS4 has pretty diverse interests, but there are some things that he just isn't interested in at all. I know that because I have tried it. I can't make him interested in it, nor would I want to. He is well rounded and into math, music, cooking, reading, building things, sports, nature, art, board games, computers, etc. He doesn't like action figures and has no interest in superheros and has never seen a whole movie....but that's not a big deal to me and I am not going to push it (although I have tried to get him to watch a whole movie...he is interested for a while but can't seem to make it through).

I have the opposite problem. I can't get the inlaws to buy him anything fun at all! My father in law is an archeologist and has 0 people skills... not one. He gave him a dinosaur fossil and a shark tooth (he was FOUR!) and told him he couldn't touch them or play with them, but he had to put them on a shelf and leave them alone until he was 12. What the heck is the point in that?

This year DS is getting video games... video games, Legos and more video games. Last year he had one thing he wanted and didn't get and it was the only thing he asked for- a Wii. We heard all year long about how he must have been really naughty because Santa didn't bring him the only thing he wanted. Santa brought it for his birthday... but we're not risking it this year! Let the magic come now. My mom's getting a toaster... he can be disappointed when he's a grandfather :-)

We have lots of nieces and nephews who are really into books, educational games, etc. (since they are so fun) so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me not to get these sorts of things. I do have one sister that is perceived as going overboard on the edu-side with her 2 dds by another of my sisters. Last year I found these cool dolls which were very soft, pretty hip clothes, and they spoke english and french - I figured this would satisfy the girls one way or the other and that would definitely satisfy both sisters, lol!

I had to chime in here - we got the same thing last year from the grandparents - DS5 really, really wanted this cool collection of science activity kits you could order one at a time - the family all asked what he wanted and so I told them that he had been begging for these kits and that maybe everyone could buy one for him....they all scoffed it off and said, why would you want to buy those for him - even after telling them that HE asked for them....they all sent him ToysRUs gift certificates - whooppee....so, this year, we didn't even bother passing any info on......he has the most bizarre collection of gifts - but he asked for them :-) Acela Express HO scale train, Storm Chasers DVD set, Tornado Intercept Vehicle shirt, Tornado photography book and his own digital camera (determined to follow in the footsteps of Josh Werman and Sean Casey from Discovery Channel :-)