Hand-me downs just got cool again

Hand-me-downs often conjure up feelings of resentment – being the one who has to wear or use something that someone else has taken the best years out of…but times are changing, and it seems that nothing’s off limits these days!

Hand me downs just got cool again

So just how and what should you hand down to children? Here are some tips on handing down gadgets, clothes, scooters and more:

  • Mobile phones

Parents, these days, are trying to stay abreast with technology – whether it’s ditching and otherwise good notebook or laptop in favour of a tablet or iPad, or upgrading to the latest smartphone because it comes free with a yearly contract…and children are reaping the benefits (and not complaining!).

Like it or not, these days children as young as those still in primary school have mobile phones. And they aren’t old bricks that need half a day to charge, either. Parents who are divorced, separated, or who let their children travel home from school on their own want a quick means to stay in touch with their children, and are giving them mobile phones so they can do just that.

If you plan to divest your old mobile phone and give it to your child, make sure the battery is still healthy and that the sim card has a contract that enables your child to use the phone without leaving you out of pocket. It’s probably better to set them up on a good contract that lets them text and call their friends rather than ban them from doing so and get a shock bill costing half your mortgage.

If they are older and can be trusted with a smartphone, you might save money with that kind of investment, because a lot of apps, these days, will let them text and call eachother for free…

  • Laptops and tablets

Upgrading your old iPad for the new iPad and planning to give it to your child? make sure you remove the payment details so they don’t start downloading games and music willy nilly, thinking you’ll never find out.

On laptops, there is a lot of software available to make sure your children stay safe on the internet – no matter how close an eye you think you’re keeping, children will be adventurous and will always be looking for ways to get around you, so make sure you install all the parental blocks and controls you can before handing over the laptop to them. Prevention is better than cure.

  • Scooters

Making a scooter look like new is easy and cheap, too!

Having and older brother or sister can be great – you get their toys and gadgets once they get bored and move onto the next thing. But that doesn’t mean you want the whole world to know that it’s a hand down.

Scooters and no different – somehow riding your older sister’s pink scooter when you’re a boy may not give your street and cred, and it can be a real downer.

Micro Scooters UK has come up with a cunning (and cost-effective) way for siblings to personalise handed down scooters. Parents can buy new handle bar grips, decks and brakes to make the scooter look brand new.

There’s a choice of nine different deck colours, five for handle bar grips and seven for brakes. What’s more, you can create the effect of a brand new Mini Micro by changing everything on it for under £30, which is less than half the price of buying a brand new one.

Check out www.micro-scooters.co.uk and take a look at some of their other great ideas on personalising your child’s scooter.

  • Clothes…

Worn-once pieces and well-cared for items of clothing can easily be handed down. Many a younger sister can’t wait to get their hands on an older sister’s amazing jacket or beautiful dress, and the trick is to accessorise it with something that doesn’t make it so obvious to everyone else that it’s a hand down.

If the children of President Obama, with all the money and freebies they get are doing it, where’s the shame for the rest of us!

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.