Parents who don't buy their kids an iPhone (wife, appropriate, playing)
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They are not your kids.
If the parents want Samsung, then Samsung it is.
Or don't get them phones at all.
I see it both ways. Do parents generally demand a certain gift for their kids from people, relatives or otherwise? In many ways, that's obnoxious and rude. It's a gift, not a request/demand. That said, in this case I'd respect the mother's wishes and feelings here in order to keep the peace. I know that my parents would never dare make a demand in such a way for a particular gift that they knew a friend/relative wanted to provide us.
OP, don't try to be a "good" guy and make mom to be a "bad" guy. You may even create friction between the girls and their mom. They might think uncle is better than mom. Uncle loves them more than mom b/c he buys them what they want, and mom does not. And who will pay for the monthly service for the phone each month? That will be expensive for two for each year. Will you agree to pay for that too?
The girls have been good so far as you described. Don't spoil them, make them to follow the trend.
My children did not have their phones until they started to work, saved money, and they bought their phones on their own. Whatever they bought, that was up to them. And they paid the monthly service on their own. One even lost his phone once. The other bought a pair of ear buds for more than $300 and programmed the buds in his phone for in case he lost them, he might be able to find them. He lost them, and he never found them.
When the children learn to work hard to earn what they want, they will be more responsible and careful to keep their things. Otherwise, it's easy comes easy goes.
I think this is ultimately why I agree with others who say that the OP should listen to the mom here if he is intent on gifting the girls phones, even if I think the mom is way out of line to even make such a request. Anything that risks pitting the mom against her daughters is a nonstarter as far as I'm concerned. I'd tread very carefully here if I'm OP.
I think this is ultimately why I agree with others who say that the OP should listen to the mom here if he is intent on gifting the girls phones, even if I think the mom is way out of line to even make such a request. Anything that risks pitting the mom against her daughters is a nonstarter as far as I'm concerned. I'd tread very carefully here if I'm OP.
Yup.
The OP is not a relative. There's a lot in his first post that, to me, speaks of being a bit too high-handed and presumptuous in his relation with this mom and her twin girls. Generous, to be sure, but there's something a little 'extra' there too. JMO.
WTF? A Samsung family? That is just utterly ridiculous.
Newsflash - all phones can communicate with each other no matter what make. It's called texting and social media.
That being said. I agree that the OP has ZERO rights when it comes to going against the mother's wishes. It doesn't matter if anybody disagrees with her logic (I certainly do), it's her kids and she dictates their upbringing.
Personally I would just get them something else that they may want. Since they seem to not truly want a non iPhone phone.
TBF I agree with the poster that stated that if the girl's chipped in their own $$$ to buy the said phones, then they should have a say in what they get. If they get the phones for free, then it's up to their mom.
It's funny but one of my friends is a Samsung fan and HATES anything Apple. One of his sons specifically requested an iPhone, but at the end he just gave him one of his old Samsungs. I don't disagree with his decision. His son didn't pay a penny for it or for the service. And even though it was my friend's old phones, it was one of the high end models.
So yeah don't spoil your kids. The sense of entitlement carries through to their adult lives and that isn't what you want for their best interests.
WTF? A Samsung family? That is just utterly ridiculous.
Newsflash - all phones can communicate with each other no matter what make. It's called texting and social media.
There ARE some significant differences between the iphone and Androids when it comes to messaging, particularly group messages. Nothing fatal, but it's real.
A "Samsung family". This doesn't surprise me at all, as pathetic as it is.
I remember a thing around 2010 where one was decidedly uncool if they didn't use the Firefox web browser, and just used whatever came with their computer. Similarly, anyone not using a Gmail account for their personal email is viewed as old fashioned or dorky. I recall a joke made on SNL or some comedy show about the discovery of the sole subscriber with an active AOL email address, an 85 year old woman named Helen.
I don't think I would buy anything that Mom clearly doesn't want her kids to have. The "Samsung family" thing is a little silly (I have both Apple and Android products in my house - everything doesn't have to be the same), but once you get the girls started on iPhone, I think the pressure would be on (Mom) to keep getting iPhones, and they're expensive.
My daughter (13) currently has a Motorola. Let me tell you - this is not a cool phone to have. This is what old grandparents have, according to her. I didn't buy the phone. Her dad did, a couple of years ago. It's a cheap phone, with cheap and lousy data service, but I'm not buying her a nicer phone until she matures a bit. If/when we get to that point, I probably will get her the cheap iPhone, because that's what she likes and what the kids at her school like. Yes, it's kind of a big deal for kids to have an iPhone here. But it's not a bullying issue to my knowledge. Her biggest complaint is how bad her data connection is, not the phone itself.
Now my man-mind tells me this is not a hill to die on, especially with teen girls. Just get the stupid iPhones. Am I right?
No, you are wrong.
What matters is what the mother said. You have absolutely no business overriding her here.
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This is what old grandparents have, according to her. I didn't buy the phone. Her dad did, a couple of years ago. It's a cheap phone, with cheap and lousy data service, but I'm not buying her a nicer phone until she matures a bit. If/when we get to that point, I probably will get her the cheap iPhone, because that's what she likes and what the kids at her school like. Yes, it's kind of a big deal for kids to have an iPhone here. But it's not a bullying issue to my knowledge. Her biggest complaint is how bad her data connection is, not the phone itself.
