I look at it this way it is a gift that the parents should buy and supervise first of all. A Gift card to a well known toy store could be ok JMHO

I tend to agree with you. If you buy something more expensive than the parents give, then it could cause hurt feelings on the part of the parents. An iPad is very expensive. How about cheap mp3 players? Kids that age tend to lose things or not take care of them well anyway. How about some computer games that are age appropriate to add to their laptop. Christmas Chuzzle or Chuzzle is a really cute game that will keep them busy for hours. Adults (like me) love this game too.

NO and NO. You just don't buy hugely expensive gifts for other people's children.

Their parents don't appear to be poor. If they want their kids to have a really expensive gadget, they'd buy it for them.

My son is older now, and out of the house, but if someone had bought him a gaming system at that age (relative cost about the same) I'd have been hugely ticked off.

Maybe I have plans to get one for a different occasion, or maybe I just don't want them to have one at all, or whatever!

Have you/DH been giving these girls gifts before?
If not I would suggest you don't start. Birthdays would be coming, would you give them something then? Next Christmas?

Best not to start something that you may not want to continue, aside from the fact that gifts like an IPad would be over the top.

Leave well enough alone is my thinking.

Sue

I just can't imagine a 7-year-old child being responsible enough to take care of an iPad; and even an 11-year-old is on the "iffy" side.

If you were to give only one iPad, the girls would end up fighting over it (the 11-year-old will think she deserves more time with it because she's older, and the 7-year-old will be hurt and resentful). Do you really want to buy TWO iPads so they each have their own???

And, as others have already said, the cousin and his wife may already have something in mind as the "big" present for each of the girls, and an iPad may make the girls pretty much ignore what their parents give them.

What ARE you thinking? Didn't we just have a long long thread about the sense of "entitlement" and much more that we are CREATING in children/young people and young adults????This kind of thinking is way out of line....even for parents to think about at this age. JMHO. Nanny

NO
I agree with Mary C.
I can add also that the subject of that type of thing may have already been disgussed in their family and decided that it was not a good idea. The kids would think they got one-up on the parents.

It's just one of those kinds of things that, if we considered getting it for a grand child, we would need to first check with the parents.

I agree with your feelings and instincts kittiemom, and I think you sound like a very generous person, endowed with a lot of common sense. This isn't to criticize your husband's desire, I just think it's a bit overboard. I hope he sees your side and is persuaded. Good luck.

Just don't let it cause stress between the two of you. That can happen easily, especially this time of the year.

I agree with everyone. Sounds like your husband is a nice guy, though. He can buy *me* an iPad - I really want one!

I'm still trying to decide whether to get my husband one! I have one and love it, but I would never buy something like that for someone outside my immediate family.

Thanks everyone for your opinions. It's good to know that I'm not the only one who sees it this way. And thanks cynic & joann for your kind works about DH & me. DH is just trying to be nice. We haven't been buying gifts for the kids until now. We only see them maybe once a year, since they live about six hours from us. That was another reason that I was against buying something so expensive for them. The kids barely know us. I would be fine with getting them a doll or games or something of that nature. He was planning on only buying one & having them share. DH has a good heart & I think part of this is because we don't have kids.

Yes I agree with you.Last year my son said his 4,3 year old sons wanted a netendo xl,I had one over $100 each I said you mean each,yes well for some reason his wife left the oldest take it along to walmart and someone stole it from him.too young.She asked where it was,he said a friend took it.

Look, everyone has their own family dynamics and customs. For me? Nieces and nephews get relatively inexpensive gifts--books or a game, or a simple craft kit or maybe some costume jewelry or a sweatshirt. Maybe a video if it's not too expensive (I just picked up DVD's for all the great nieces and nephews in the $5 bin at K-Mart). It's a good time, I think, to teach children that: it's the thought that's important, that fun can be found in small inexpensive packages, and that more money doesn't equal more love.

Kittiemom -- Your instincts are right. It's a generous thought, but really over the top in this situation.

When I was young I just LOVED it if a relative sent me a card, addressed to Meeeee! If it had a $5 bill in it, THAT was just wonderful.

I would say no also, but if he truly truly feels compelled to get them something of the sort, how about an iPod touch? It's in a sense a smaller ipad, like an iPhone just doesn't have the phone or 3G service attached. It still can have music, videos, apps. I have one that my son uses and he loves all the toddler games we can put on it.

For children you see maybe once a year, I wouldn't think that's a strong enough connection to get them something relatively expensive. Do they talk to you on the phone? Send birthday or anniversary cards? (Yeah, I know--many of people's children don't even do that). I sense the hubby's trying to build a strong connection but being generous with the expensive gifts isn't the way.

You could find out if they have iPods and if so send them a gift card to use for downloading music, tv episodes, movies from the Apple store online. A card with even just $25 of value can get them a lot of downloadable stuff.