I came across this article about boomers spending more than $500.00 per grandchild, per year. Take a look and see how the toy industry is catering to our generation of grandparents.

http://www.seniorscopie.com/actu/article.asp?id=061114233231&rub=swi

Hi, Dotsie: In my case, very true and I think I even spend more than the presumed amount. And apart from toys, there are shoes, clothes and books as well. I dote on my grandchildren. I would love to upload their photos here but cannot seem to manage it.

Lola, I think my siblings spend more that the $500.00 per year on grandchildren too. Some take them on vacations too and that's expensive.

I can believe it. Mine's not even here yet and I'm spending money on her. We buy things for my husband's two grandchildren. My kids grandparents spent a lot on them and my grandparents always bought things for my siblings and me. I guess that's what grandparents are for.

Louisa

Yeah, and you have a big shower to spend your money on!

Just a little over two weeks away. I can't believe it. She had an ultrasound today. The baby is 2 1/2 pounds. She has another 10-11 weeks to go. I feel like every day is a blessing that brings us closer to the day the little one arrives.
Louisa

I for one couldn't tell anyone what I've have spent per year on my grandchildren, who keeps track, who cares, they are worth every last nickel spent, right???

I agree chatty

I've found that my local dollar store is my best friend. Since Belle is only 3 1/2 yrs old, she finds little things just as much fun - if not more - than the expensive toys. Give that baby a pack of markers or a bottle of bubbles and she's happier than anything !!

The other day I mailed her a package full of goodies and it cost more to SHIP it than I spent on it all

When I take Lea to Wally World, we always go down the "baby doll" aisle. All she wants to do, I found out, is hold them, say, "Ahhh...tweet babeee," give them a hug and a kiss, and then put them back. It's amazing to me that she doesn't beg to take them home. But stroll by the horse you have to put a quarter (.25 cents) in to ride and she'll shout, "Oh horseeeee! Gan Maw! Horsseeeee. Can I ride the horseee? Puleaseeeeeeeee?" I've learn to stock up on quarters.

I will give my children AND my grandchildren whatever they want. And they know it. It's stamped on my forehead. I'm pretty sure I came that way.

Oh, me too, I spend lots on my seven grandkids!

Wow, seven grandchildren. Now if I had seven, I know I couldn't spend as much on each one. Spending time with them is the finest gift of all.
JJ, when you write how your granddaughter talks, I can hear you. "Weeeely!"

Well this is the first Christmas for us as grandparents. Ya gotta know we are going nuts! But what do you buy for a 6 month old...well, everything that says 6 months to 18 months on it!! Right? Anyway, I told my husband to pull me away from the toy depts. and Baby Gap and Gymboree and the Children's Place. There are just too many boxes to wrap already! I think I am planning on putting ALL the toys into one huge box so that it doesn't look like I went APE over this kid!! The other big issue in our family is that her other grandparents have 10 grandchildren. They obviously can't spend that much on each and their family is not used to giving that way. I don't want them to think that we are trying to look better. We really are not, we are JUST SOOO EXCITED this year!

Pam, I love your solution for what you buy a six month old. That's too funny. SI your grandchild in town? Maybe you could string the gift-giving out a little bit by beginning with Thanksgiving, then giving a little something every time you see them between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Maybe that would be easier on the other set of grandparents.

I think one big box is a grand idea that way it doesn't look like you have gone overboard. Personally I wouldn't care what they thought. Its not your fault they have more grandchildren than you have. If they comment you might say something like "Oh you are so lucky to have other grandchildren to spoil with your love, we have but one so she/he gets it all." Who could fault you for that???

I'll tell you, I miss the days when my hubby and I could go through ToysRUs and spend $100 total and both kids would be thrilled. Now that they're teens, they want gifts that cost at least $100 each! I told them we're not going overboard this year and they both seem good with that.

I have a friend having a baby in February (her first and she's 44!!) and I can't wait to buy baby stuff for her! I don't have grandkids yet, and I can't remember the last time there was a new baby to buy for.

Kathy

a friend sent this to me - thought this thread was the perfect place to post it

The Price of Children

Something absolutely positive for a change. I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.


The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

*$8,896.66 a year,

* $741.38 a month, or

* $171.08 a week.

* That's a mere $24.24 a day!

* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140?

* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!

* Glimpses of God every day.

* Giggles under the covers every night.

* More love than your heart can hold.

* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.

* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.

* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.

* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites

* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.


For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,

* carve pumpkins,

* play hide-and-seek,

* catch lightning bugs, and

* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,

* watching Saturday morning cartoons,

* going to Disney movies, and

* wishing on stars.

* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay or Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero
just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,

* taking the training wheels off a bike,

* removing a splinter,

* filling a wading pool,

* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the:

* first step,

* first word,

* first bra,

* first date, and

* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So, one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

JJ,

Will you adopt me? I loooooove the baby doll aisle...only I'd be taking them home. Does anyone remember the Shirley Temple dolls or the Tiny Tears dolls? I'd love to get my hands on one of those.

You know Lionspaaw, Hubby and I are considering downsizing and moving to a warm climate. After reading your last post, I just don't know if we can stand being away from our family. We change our minds about our retirement plans enough to make us dizzy.

Dee, I had a Tiny Tears doll! Boy I "wuved" her soooo much. I think the dolls are even nicer now though, because they are so soft. Oh and the teady bears and other stuffed animals. I can't resist squeezing them when going by them in a store, they are so "cuddly-wuddly".

christmas is my favorite time of year. I go by the christmas toys and press all the buttons...my husband is in the opposite side of the store...LOL

Lion, how sweet. I loved it. Grinned the whole time I was reading it.

Since we have three kids in college, we get a lot of, "How are you surviving it? You mustn't even have money for a lipstick. How can you afford it? Are you getting help?"

I can't help but reply, "Our best investment is in the lives of our children."

Hopefully, we are helping them get on their feet so we don't have to support them for the rest of our lives. However, there are no guarantees. We all know that.