Chicken bald back

[Guest]

James keeps saying he wants one for Christmas and I keep thinking I've talked him out of it but then when we front up to Santa he says again he wants a PSP - Santa of course said he would see what he can do.

 

Of course James trusts Santa absolutely and therein lies the problem. I tried to point out to him that one friend had been given one for his birthday INSTEAD of a birthday party. But because of the Santa thing that just doesn't wash. I've tried telling him Santa asks us for money to cover this stuf but it isn't working.

 

I've tried asking him why on earth he wants one when he has a DS he hardly uses and he tells me he can watch films on it and go on the internet to play on Facebook like Bobby (who IS only 2 years older than him and his very busy working parents have left him in the care of his older sisters 15 & 17 a bit too often...). James does use the internet on his laptop and seeing him working on his reading and writing to look up things like diggers is great. I also hear that the boy who had one for his birthday, who was a DS addict, finds the PSP harder to use. James is possibly dyspraxic so the controls will be hard but working them out could do him good.

 

I'm in a quandry here - it's more than I wanted to give Santa, I've found a good deal at Argos for a black one, with the invizimals game, the little big planet game and an accessories pack for £136 and I would also get another £10 back in an Argos voucher. Of course he doesn't want a black one but that deal isn't available on a red one, there are a gazillion cheap cases and skins on Ebay though.

 

Does anyone have any experience of these - will I be wasting my money? I have a feeling mother is going to be getting a DS that gets ignored and TBH he only got that because his dad promised it to him (and amazed me by delivering!).

 

I fear I need to make a decision soon as the Xmas supplies of such things are always subject to manufactuerers whims.

[patsylabrador]

I have a PSP and I am 50 which should tell you everything you need to know. I don't think there are enough games suitable for young lads on PSP, in fact my nephew (19 yrs) sold his.

Loco roco, lord of the rings tactics, ratchet & clank, diner dash - all a bit girlie - I love it. I'm not sure for a lad.

[craftyhunnypie]

I can't help you here I'm afraid as I love my DS & find the variety of games wonderful. The bundle deal does sound a good price, but it's a lot to spend on one gift.

I wish places would hire out such gaming machines, then you can see if you like them. Also if you got fed up, then no real big expense wasted.

Obviously, if you don't buy him one - then Daddy may well do to get his brownie points. hmmm a tough one Pengy. Perhaps buy him one, but get him to earn the games for it with a good behaviour chart - between now & Xmas. He'll appreciate it more then.

Good luck with what you decide.

 

Emma.x

[sparkysmum]

Hi Pengy all I know is that my son (almost 16yrs) rates the current one as 8/10. He has an older one & hardly ever uses it because it is so slow He recommeds that your laddie gets a guitar for Christmas Ax

[Snowy]

I've got my boys a DS each for christmas (second hand bargains! ) We never went down the PSP route with oldest son, he only ever had a gameboy then a DS - there wasn't the variety of games that there are for the DS. The grandchildren had PSPs the other year - something to do with the movies that can be played on them. But you can watch a film on TV/DVD so the PSPs remain hardly used and this year they have the DSi

[Guest]

Obviously, if you don't buy him one - then Daddy may well do to get his brownie points. hmmm a tough one Pengy. Perhaps buy him one, but get him to earn the games for it with a good behaviour chart - between now & Xmas. He'll appreciate it more then.

Good luck with what you decide.

 

Emma.x

 

Daddy didn't get any brownie points - Santa gets them all! He has already asked Daddy for a new football shirt (poor kid doesn't know who to support - he likes Chelsea but wants to make Daddy happy so now wants a west ham shirt!). He does get the whole santa coming twice deal. Actually he gets the santa coming 3 times deal as when we are away we can't take all his gifts! We don't buy him a lot through the year though - he has tons of toys but he gets them all from the boot sale/charity shop. One thing that was on his Christmas list was the Magic Tooth Fairy game -then he spotted it at the boot sale for 50p!

[Chucky Mama]

We bought our now 11 year old one about 3 years ago. We asked him if he wanted to combine his Christmas present from his great grandma, grandma and us to buy a big present for him - I didnt' tell him what the big present was but he trusted me that it was good. He was delighted with it but they are a little tricky I think for young hands and I know now 3 years on he would perhaps rather have a DS. It was useful for putting movies on when we were travelling as we put a earphone splitter on and all 3 kids watched it waiting in airports. I was quite handy for getting onto the internet in the hotel when we were abroad and needed to find something out but he never goes online at home. A tricky one I think, maybe one to save until he is a bit older? YOu may be able to pick up an older version more cheaply but of course you wouldn't get any warranty.

[Cooks]

both my boys have them and really like them, they have the ds aswell and really there is no comparison with the ds and psp for graphics and features.

 

We are a computer games retailers dream in this house, they have them all, psp's, dc, wii, playstion 3's. drives me mad really but if they put them on their christmas list or buy them themselves I dont see a problem, they are 12 and almost 14 though.

[Guest]

oh gosh he wouldn't DREAM of asking "just because". Christmas and Birthdays are when he gets to ask for stuff, he knows that. And with birthdays its the party that's important to him, he is already asking for the fire limo again next year

 

The other thing he asked for was a hi vis coat which I bought off Ebay a month ago and nearly gave him on bonfire night when it was really cold and he needed to be seen.

[Lewis]

I'd maybe have a look in Game at their pre-owned ones, even if you don't get the PSP, you could get a game or accessory for it

 

Me + my brother got them a few years ago in Vegas - they used to be a lot cheaper over there!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

My ES (now 17) got one a few years ago as he travelled by bus a lot for his rowing. It was used a lot then (and on holidays) but it's not getting used any more (he's given up rowing ).

[Guest]

I went and bought it. His belief in Santa is absolute and the big fella wouldn't let him down. In a year or 2 I will be able to use more personal arguements but right now he just thinks that the magic Santa will get him stuff if he's been good.

 

And today he insisted that I go to the library to get "the book" its a version of "The Night Before Christmas" that has particularly nice illustrations, including an elf with a list and James is on that list. He has to have it every year to make sure he is on the list! I can't even buy this version so it has to come from the library.