All iPads: My daughter is my star! Help me decide how best to reward her.

[D.T.]

Originally Posted by ob81

Don't get her an iPad, get her an art table and some paint. Teach your children to produce, not to consume.

There's tons of creation apps available. My little one is even using a stylus in her drawing/painting apps. She can also immediately share them with the Grandfolks and even print them in color.

She also has boxes of craft supplies, an easel (with tons of drawing/painting supplies), a real guitar (teaching her some basics), skates/cycles, climbs trees, takes dance, wants to take a martial art. I imagine she'll be surfing with me before too long too She's 4-3/4 by the way.

An iPad is a terrific tool that's a great addition to other activities, and it has a usage model that fits in where other activities don't.

[Ice-Cube]

I think an iPad Mini's great. Its not just for games but she can run educational apps to help in her learning too. Best of all, the parental controls can help you keep an eye on her activities.

[Defender2010]

If you buy any ipad for a five year old, next time, that cherished percentage will be 75%. Verbal praise is more effective for a child than a material object. If you are skint, take her to the cinema and for a burger. The recession could get worse and you may end up not being able to feed yourselves, meaning you need to pawn the ipad, thus damaging her more than not buying something as a reward for this 98%

[Vetvito]

New iPod? Perfect for a child's hands. Plus the tote accessory will be great for going places. Kids have a tendency to just sit something down and forget it.

[ProudLoz]

Originally Posted by Brradley

Mental. If I did anything good when I was younger I would get a Pokemon sticker, not an iPod, and that was only a few years ago! What is she going to expect the time she does well in high school

I'm the same here, except I did once get a big present for Christmas and that was the Nintendo 64. This then, opened up a new door to get high reward presents (in exchange for good grades) but obviously cost a lot less than a N64 console in the form of games.

This can apply to the OP's situation. He gets her an iPad 2/Mini now and his daughter will not (no doubt), understand the value of it yet, and once she gets a hold of the App Store, she'll want apps instead. This will be her new reward system for her. The OP can either buy her a high quality app for good grades, or he can buy her an increment of iTunes Gift cards for good grades.

[SeanR1]

Originally Posted by Kilamite

Nexus 7.

I agree.

[jlc1978]

I'd go with 16 gig. That will easily hold 20 hours of video at a reasonable quality with rom to spare. You can put on her favorites and switch out others as she watches them. A mini may not only be easier to hold but lighter as well.

[AlphaDogg]

I think this is a horrible idea.

I'm 16, and I'll admit I'm spoiled. It all started out with things like this. It started out with small rewards for doing well in school. Then that turned into a gameboy color, into a gameboy advance, into a gameboy advance SP, into a nintendo DS, then into an iPod nano, into an iPod video, into an iPod touch, into a MacBook, into a MacBook Pro, into an iPhone, into an iPhone 3GS, into an iPhone 5. You're just digging yourself into a hole and you'll end up with a daughter that will want every goddamn thing in the world.

My parents were against me getting an iPhone, saying that "if I got one now, there's nothing left to want in the future." I think they were right.

And for god's sake, she's 5. What does she need an iPad for? Get her a doll as the high tier reward and a sticker as the low tier reward. You've screwed up the scale. Especially since you lost your job, you need to get a hold on your financial situation for now and the future.

I know a bunch of girls my age who started out like your daughter with parents like you. Nobody likes them, because if they don't get their way, they WILL do everything they can to get it. This translates to objects, friends, and even sex.

I am smart, I have a 3.8 GPA and excel in the sciences. If you're willing to sacrifice her attitude for success, then so be it. I can't make you do anything, but just understand that when you start threads like these online, you are attracting criticism. If you didn't want criticism, then you should not have started this thread.


Just my 2 cents.

[mcdj]

Originally Posted by AlphaDogg

Get her a doll as the high tier reward and a sticker as the low tier reward. You've screwed up the scale.

Dead on. Kudos kid.

[MrXiro]

Originally Posted by ob81

Don't get her an iPad, get her an art table and some paint. Teach your children to produce, not to consume.

I think I agree with this.

[ThatsMeRight]

I don't really understand why everybody is telling OP how he must reward his child. He's made his choice already and is only asking for which iPad model to take...

I'd go with an iPad mini. It's smaller so definitely more 'usable' (it's not heavy and it won't be huge) for children.

[w00t951]

A five year old. With an iPad. What is this world coming to? Well, at least this guy's breaking stereotypes - he's not in the United States.

Anyway, try a Mini with a screen protector and a bigass case.

[RussellJones]

Originally Posted by AlphaDogg

I think this is a horrible idea.

I'm 16, and I'll admit I'm spoiled. It all started out with things like this. It started out with small rewards for doing well in school. Then that turned into a gameboy color, into a gameboy advance, into a gameboy advance SP, into a nintendo DS, then into an iPod nano, into an iPod video, into an iPod touch, into a MacBook, into a MacBook Pro, into an iPhone, into an iPhone 3GS, into an iPhone 5. You're just digging yourself into a hole and you'll end up with a daughter that will want every goddamn thing in the world.

My parents were against me getting an iPhone, saying that "if I got one now, there's nothing left to want in the future." I think they were right.

And for god's sake, she's 5. What does she need an iPad for? Get her a doll as the high tier reward and a sticker as the low tier reward. You've screwed up the scale. Especially since you lost your job, you need to get a hold on your financial situation for now and the future.

I know a bunch of girls my age who started out like your daughter with parents like you. Nobody likes them, because if they don't get their way, they WILL do everything they can to get it. This translates to objects, friends, and even sex.

I am smart, I have a 3.8 GPA and excel in the sciences. If you're willing to sacrifice her attitude for success, then so be it. I can't make you do anything, but just understand that when you start threads like these online, you are attracting criticism. If you didn't want criticism, then you should not have started this thread.


Just my 2 cents.

So just because he buys his 5 year old daughter an iPad for doing well in school, she is going to turn into a slag. Ok then. In all fairness you may be smart, but at 16 you have no life experience. You say girls your your age who started out his daughter with parents like him, how do you even know that, if you didn't like them, you probably didn't know them well enough to know what they got when they were 5 or how there parents rewarded them.

Will people stop telling the OP how raise his children, I think that most parents would agree they would rather their children have nice things and sacrifice there own luxuries to reward their children.

Also whoever said he is going to starve and have to pawn the ipad, not true, Britain has a social welfare system.

Also +1 for iPad mini, would work much better with smaller hands

[AlphaDogg]

Originally Posted by RussellJones

So just because he buys his 5 year old daughter an iPad for doing well in school, she is going to turn into a slag. Ok then. In all fairness you may be smart, but at 16 you have no life experience. You say girls your your age who started out his daughter with parents like him, how do you even know that, if you didn't like them, you probably didn't know them well enough to know what they got when they were 5 or how there parents rewarded them.

Will people stop telling the OP how raise his children, I think that most parents would agree they would rather their children have nice things and not sacrifice there own luxuries to reward their children.

Also whoever said he is going to starve and have to pawn the ipad, not true, Britain has a social welfare system.

Also +1 for iPad mini, would work much better with smaller hands

I have known these girls since preschool (3 years old). If you spend enough time around people, you will get to know them regardless of if you like them or not. I'm not telling the OP how to raise his children, I just wanted to warn him of the repercussions of his parenting style.

Sure, parents should sacrifice their luxuries for their children, but within reason. Children are smart, if they see that you are sacrificing something for them a lot, they will not hesitate to take advantage of that.

That said, I also do know a couple kids who were raised in a wealthy environment, but because their parents could say no when they were young, they are the most down-to-earth people I've ever met. This is still true even though today they have cars that their parents pay for (including insurance) and have very high end MacBook Pros and iPhone 5's.

Anyone else think this belongs in PRSI?

[terminator-jq]

Why can't there be more fathers like you? It's good that you reward your child for effort and not just grades. Unlike some parents who push their kids for straight A's. I remember when I was in school, there was a girl who cried because she got a B-.

The best option for a 5 year old would be an iPad mini. It's smaller and lighter, yet still big enough to enjoy. I'd also look into getting her Apple care. Accidents happen when your 5 years old.

If you want to be really safe, you can go for the new iPod touch. It's like a smaller iPad mini.

[ucfgrad93]

I would go for the Kindle Fire. It is only $159 and you can install parental controls and free time. Very important in my opinion for a 5 year old.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=201014580

There is also Free Time Unlimited.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?&docId=1000863021

[swabbie568]

Kolakube,

Definitely an iPad mini, extremely light and the size is perfect for a small child.

I differ from some of the rest here, I see you exposing your child early to technology that will impact her as she grows, so you got her ahead of the game, good going

[Fireball926]

I'd say go for the mini. 16gb should suffice. The movies on it will not be hd due to the screen so they won't hog tons and tons of space. Grab and otterbox and a ghost armor screen protecter and you should be god to go.

I do however have one suggestion.. You really should revise this whole reward system a little bit when she is older. A good idea would probably be to replace the gifts with money instead. Getting money instead when she's a bit older will help your kid learn the true value of a dollar, heck it made me. And truly take this with a grain of salt, she's your child so parent her how you'd like. What I just said above is merely a suggestion.

Hope your daughter enjoys her iPad!

[THFourteen]

Originally Posted by ob81

Don't get her an iPad, get her an art table and some paint. Teach your children to produce, not to consume.

or some lego. I used to love lego when I was young.

I don't see an ipad as being a correct gift for a 5yr old child.

[clyde2801]

You're giving her your time, focus and attention.

[mantan]

Originally Posted by w00t951

A five year old. With an iPad. What is this world coming to? Well, at least this guy's breaking stereotypes - he's not in the United States.

Anyway, try a Mini with a screen protector and a bigass case.

Well in all fairness, the kid tried really hard. And that's what counts isn't it.

Agree with the comments above that the sentiment is right...but the scale is off by a scary margin. But I think we saw that coming when we saw the title of the thread and that it was about a 5 year old putting in effort.

[senseless]

My father once complimented me on my mechanical skills when we were assembling shelving together. This has been an enduring memory.

[citivolus]

I think the best gift you can give her is your time. Whatever you do with her, spend another 10% more and it will pay dividends for the rest of your lives.

[ZZ Bottom]

Get her an American Girl doll, get her an iPad 4, and get her an iPad Mini for her American Girl doll. This is what I did for my niece.

[token787]

AT 5?? O boy, especially if she drops it. Get her a Leap Pad or something else educational.