I was over the moon when I got a multi coloured torch and a Captain Scarlett SPV car. My daughter's demand for her birthday is a digital SLR camera (£450), a macro lens (£300) a new ipod and some money for clothes.

A conservative estimate is about a grand.

Now see if you were LABOUR that wouldn't happen

& did she say all her mates have them ?

Oh aye, I'm being a pauper and embarrassing her if I don't hand over a G

My daughter is 16 tomorrow, cost me a fortune it has, new contract phone, concert tickets, a party, plus other stuff. Times change though, I cant even remember what I got when I was 16, its just the way things are nowadays !!

£1,000.00 in 2011 is equivalent to £331.54 in 1980 - from the UK inflation calculator.

http://www.whatsthecost.com/cpi.aspx

There is no F@@king way that would of been spent on me when i was 16. Lucky as fucky to have seen the 31.54.

I would been 21 in 1980 and I wouldn't have got anywhere near that either, like you lucky if got the £31.54 and 21 is a more important age to a lot, so wait till she reaches that age Mr I

I'm getting similar expectations as well in December - and then all again just a fortnight later!!!

Sorry to bore the crap out of you all but this just show what inflation had done to prices since 1960. The price of fish and chips has inflated 7400% from 6p to 4.50.

The issue is most kids follow fashion, they want what their mates have or even better.
I got the bairn a blackberry because a lot of her friends use the blackberry messenger, got her a pair of converse because they are the fashion, then a 2nd pair at 40 foooking quid a pop because they come in all different colours!!
You've got to try and keep up otherwise you get the "look" off her!!!
It must be really difficult for the parents who can't afford all the latest fads.
But what can you do!!!
Kids

Remember the the day of the army and navy stores, parents used to get all your gear from there, so embarrasing going out dressed like a japanese general

I knew every square inch of Dovecot and that shop on the corner of Raby Road and Hart Lane. There were no friggin ipods in there!! If you wanted music on the move then you learned to whistle.

2009 Petrol 86p a litre

Whats the rate on inflation on that then

Agree with above, birthday prezzies used to be some cheap piece of tat, and we were really grateful for it. Remember getting a full Subbuteo set with the Colchester Utd team (they thought it was Pools )

I am not as old as you lot but I think for my 16 birthday I got a Pools top and some clothes, smellies etc.

I would be very lucky to even get all of those presents in one go even if it was a special birthday like 18etc. I always knew would get one "big" present which each of them are.

The biggest present I ever got was my car on 17th birthday, my folks could only afford this as my dad had his accident got a mobility car so traded in his Mondeo.

Im with compo on this, being roughly the same age, even 11 years ago when i was 16 i wouldnt have asked for anything like that, footy top, bit of money to piss up the wall on some dirty cider.

Some kids are so spoilt now.

My daughter is 6 this boxing day and i have a bet on with our lass that her mam will get her a mobile phone.

I think a bit more parental control is needed here.
The arguments that its the fashion or everybody has got one or I'll be the only one not going are as old as the hills.
As my mam used to say " everybody is not going cos you aren't for a start"

No wonder there's so much debt about when kids get everything they want.

At Christmas I'd get one big present (a bike, a cd player maybe) and just a few other bits and bobs. Birthdays were usually a new pair of jeans or a computer game.

My little un is 6 next week, she wants a 3DS for her birthday, a digital camera and a Laptop for Christmas!

One of the big lessons kids need to learn and learn quickly is that you often don't get what you want.

If kids at six get the impression that their demands will be met, no wonder their demands get to the proportion they appear to be at when they reach puberty.

my mam made me listen to this...

What he said!

It know the feeling Mr I. My boy wants a pools strip for xmas and I think they are a similar price

So much easier when they are younger, my boy just turned 3, all he wanted was a fireman sam engine and helmet, hope he stays grounded when he is older, although it`s the others that will affect him when he starts school, the i`ve got this brigade

Birthday i tend to get £20 in a card, have done since i was about 15. Although when i was 17, i got access to the savings my parents kept for me..

Thats my daughters birthday over with for another year, off to work now to save up for Christmas & then her 17th next year, dread to think what that will cost me, but she is worth it & after burying one child who was killed in a car crash 5 years ago & being told earlier this year at the age of 44 I will need a heart transplant, so might not live to see my daughter grow up, I dont mind spoiling her whilst I am alive & have the opportunity to do so !!!

fair play to you mate. Can't fault that sentiment

when you look at things that way mr1966, i dont blame you

Had to comment on your post poolie1966. I've had some rough times the last few years, but after reading the above is making me realize how fooking fortunate i am. Really put my life it in perspective that did. Very sorry to of heard about your tragic loss. I really hope everything will go well for you in regards to your upcoming heart op and you can get to walk your daughter down the isle and see your future grandkids enjoy adult life. Good luck mate.

cheers, Parmo, Yubep & Jimmy, I appreciate your comments.

Perspective there from Mr 1966. I'm really sorry to hear that, its got to be the worst possible event in anyones life.

I too have been through the mill at times in my life but nothing to even come close to the loss of a child. I really don't know how I would deal with it but then when it happens you don't have a choice. Not that it helps.

I too have watched my child die and stand side by side with Mr 66.

Gobsmacked to read of your situation! I have no idea how you cope "66" after whats happened to you and your family in recent years but like others have said it puts everything into perspective for the rest of us. After reading your post my first thought was to go give my lad a hug and to appreciate what I have and to hopefully learn to understand what is important in my life instead of taking things for granted! Even thinking about last nights result...Its only a football game ...and so what if we got beat ...but that is all it is a "game" of football !! Its totally understandable that you want to give your daughter everything you possibly can. I sincerely hope everythings works out for you in future and you live to a grand old age to enjoy your grankids to the full. I wish you all the luck in the world m8 I really do!

That's tragic.
Keep your spirits up and hope everything goes well for you and your family.
God, you deserve it!

Thanks to everyone who has sent kind wishes after reading my post. Me & my wife just take each day as it comes, but we dont let it get us down too much, we both still go to work & will cross the bridge of my heart transplant whenever it arises in the future. I only have 4 wishes left, to walk my daughter down the aisle & become a grandad, to recover from the transplant & travel the world when I retire as we had always planned & on a football sense to see Pools play at Wembley, but if none of them happen, then so be it no point in moaning, I just try to enjoy my life at the moment the best that I can !!