I'd probably thank the ILs and then store the gift in the closet until DH & I thought it was appropriate for our child to have it.

Or we'd turn it into a family communal item and not let DS think it's just his. You could wait til one of your other ipads gives out then use this as the replacement and keep the same rules you've always had re ipad usage.

We were given gifts clearly labels for 3 & up at our DD's first birthday. If anyone other than the grandparents had given it, we would have donated, regifted, or sold it but since it's a special gift from overseas grandparents - we've stored it in the closet for the past 2 years and are still waiting for our kid to be ready for that kind of toy without chocking on it.

Anonymous wrote:Thank them for the gift but you are the parents and you make the call.

This. Your son won't be spoiled by one gift, one gift you still have the ability to determine the rules for. Have him write a thank you note, put the same rules in place as for other electronics and carry on.

Thank them for the gift but you are the parents and you make the call.

Put some educational games on it. Same rules as with the other electronics. A thank you to the in-laws. Job done.

Then stop thinking about it.

please listen to me. I have been there. you don't like your inlaws and they like the power thing. heck they probably half knew they'd piss you off doing this and did it for that reason.

just say thank you and give it to your kid a few times a year. they use them in school even in my kids kinder class. make it only for special car trips or something.

life is too short for you to hold all this resentment. parents and in laws pull this crap all the time. most of us have experienced it. it is SO FUCKING ANNOYING. but you have to just get a grip.

thank and move on. otherwise it will be a laptop next year and they will have won. they realized how to get you pissed and will enjoy it.

So what are you going to tell your son?

Anonymous wrote:thank your ILs and then donate it to a school

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"What a nice gift! Won't it be nice to use the next time we go on a long car ride! We'll put it in my closet until we need it. Now let's write Granny a nice note to thank her."

+1000

+ 1 -- gracious and gets the job done (from one who's been there and wishes I had handled it this way)

So OP is upsetting her son, upsetting her inlaws...for what exactly? If there's someone spoiled here, it's the OP.

Anonymous wrote:Just thank them, be grateful they wanted to do something nice, and establish whatever limits you want.

+1.

Anonymous wrote:haha Im a bitvh because I dont want my children to become spoiled brats who own their own expensive Ipads when they've been on this earth for only 6 years???!!! Really?!! What about saving some things to look forward to. My son only wanted a few toy planes from the Disney movie and some outdoor things...all things that were on his Amazon "wish list" he made. They chose to not consult with us and buy him a ridiculously inappropriate gift for his exclusive use. His brother, whose birthday was 3 months ago was given a sweatshirt BTW, but thanks for anticipating there would be fairness haha. Nope. I think I will put it away for a couple of years DONATE it. Great idea!!! Thanks all!

Your child is not going to be a spoiled brat from having an iPad. Put some educational videos and apps on there and limit it to 30 minutes a day and long trips. The one child can have the family iPad. I don't see what the drama is. If this is OP post, you are over the top.

Anonymous wrote:haha Im a bitvh because I dont want my children to become spoiled brats who own their own expensive Ipads when they've been on this earth for only 6 years???!!! Really?!! What about saving some things to look forward to. My son only wanted a few toy planes from the Disney movie and some outdoor things...all things that were on his Amazon "wish list" he made. They chose to not consult with us and buy him a ridiculously inappropriate gift for his exclusive use. His brother, whose birthday was 3 months ago was given a sweatshirt BTW, but thanks for anticipating there would be fairness haha. Nope. I think I will put it away for a couple of years DONATE it. Great idea!!! Thanks all!

Damn you're a bitter witch. Thank them for their generosity and do what you wish with the iPad. Both my kids got their own iPads at 5. We have rules and time about all electronics. An iPad won't spoil a kid, get a life.

I do not think OP is unreasonable. I too have a real problem with young kids being given expensive techology toys without the parents being consulted. My DS received a Kindle fire from his godmother (my SIL) for his First Communion, after DH had run the idea by me and I had requested that she not do it. I do not know whether DH failed to pass on the message or whether he and SIL decided to ignore me. I dealt with it by refusing to give DS the password to the home WiFi, so his ability to use was constrained to the point he lost interest. But I had to deal with a lot of hassle and being the "mean mommy"

What really burned me up is that I am the parent who has to be the "Technology" parent----I'm the one who helps with homework on the computer, or figures out how to set up the family computer. So part of the reason I was so irritated by the gift is that it was just creating more work for me.

Do agree on the need to be grateful though---but I feel OP's pain.

Anonymous wrote:Say thank you and put whatever restrictions you need to on the use of the iPad- can only use it when you say, kept with the other iPads and not in his room, etc.

This...not really that hard

haha Im a bitvh because I dont want my children to become spoiled brats who own their own expensive Ipads when they've been on this earth for only 6 years???!!! Really?!! What about saving some things to look forward to. My son only wanted a few toy planes from the Disney movie and some outdoor things...all things that were on his Amazon "wish list" he made. They chose to not consult with us and buy him a ridiculously inappropriate gift for his exclusive use. His brother, whose birthday was 3 months ago was given a sweatshirt BTW, but thanks for anticipating there would be fairness haha. Nope. I think I will put it away for a couple of years DONATE it. Great idea!!! Thanks all!