Hello!

Our 8 year old girl has been told by a grandparent that she should have an ipod or MP3 player. As most of you probably know downloads are expensive especially when on low wages and you have another much younger child.


Want more real mum questions sent to you?

You'll need to check this email to complete your signup.
  • Whenever she is responsible and you have the money0


  • I agree it depends on the child. We started with a very simple tablet from about $90 for our kids, I think it was a Lenovo tablet. My youngest who has Down syndrome had her first iPad on a very young age (think she was 2yrs old) and we used it for communication and education, whereas my other kids were far older.


  • I think this depends on the child. I think you can put a limit on how many songs she can download.


  • it really depends on you. are they are enough to take care of it?


  • My daughter was 16 before she got an iPod. There are sites where you can do music downloads for free. Also, you can put your CDs onto your computer and load them onto the iPod. Sounds like the grandparents are very generous


  • My daughter is 7 the youngest of 4, she got her iPod about 2 years ago.The kids are way beyond us with all the new technology.


  • Her parents don’t want her to have access to google because as soon as they turn around she changes it to other things via google. She has a little brother (toddler) who also needs attention, especially going to the toilet. She won’t leave it while we leave the room. If I switch it off she will switch it on again. She doesn’t need email address and password to get into it. He parents also do shift work so sometimes one is at work and one home sleeping while the little one is at daycare or being minded by a relative.


  • I would ask the grandparent who suggested it to purchase it for them as a christmas present, yes kids should be exposed to technology but only if it is affordable. My son has been taught by his teacher at school how to google things on a computer but with FOR KIDS attached to what ever he wants to google. So a couple of time a week i sit down with him and do just that. He is happy and makes a few little notes that he can show his teacher the next day. It forfills his needs. I would allow the ipad but not a MP3 player to young to have acsess to unrestricted music. And if they get everything to young they do ot understand money is hard to come by. The only way my son will get a computer etc of his own is when we upgrade ours.


  • My kids love music, my almost 8 year old started off with an MP3 player when she was younger and only got an ipod a year or 2 ago as a hand me down from friends, so my 4 year old got her MP3 player. I just put music from my CD’s/mp3’s on them and they love it!!


  • My 8 yo has a mini ipad. It’s incredibly useful when we travel. I listen to a lot of music myself so its easy enough to make an appropriate playlist from that. You can also convert music of cd’s into the ACCC file for iTunes with your iTunes account. As for other stuff, he is only allowed to download free games, its all password protected so that I have to approve of it. iTunes vouchers are often apart of birthday and Christmas presents or he has to earn pocket money through chores to pay for them.


  • I can’t see the grandparents buying iTunes cards. They are on Centrelink Benefits and have 3 other granchildren, soon will be 4. Her parents have planned to give such presents as a 13th birthday present. Hopefully they will be appreciated and cared for by that age. “Cared for” would be an issue at the moment. Not something that might be thrown when “angry”.


  • Totally agree that it depends on values. My not quite 3 year old has my old iPod. I put music off cds on there which saves money


  • I think it depends on your family values and finances. My three year old loves using my iphone, so I gave her my old one when I upgraded. We are getting her a kids tablet for her birthday. She uses it for games though, not music. If you’re 8 year old is really into music then it would be a nice gift, otherwise she probably won’t use it much. Buying music off iTunes can be expensive, but there is the option of her grandparents getting her iTunes gift cards for her birthday.


Post your reply
Add a photo
Your MoM account


Lost your password?

Enter your email and a password below to post your answer and join MoM:

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join