Lucas either wanted a Nintendo DS or LeapFrog Didj for Christmas. I started to buy the DS since we bought Wyatt one, but in the end opted for the Didj, thinking it would be more durable and liking that the games are educational. Well apparently I was mistaken. Sadly mistaken!!!
He opened it and was so excited and immediately added his name in the system and I headed off to install the CD on my computer. Took a bit longer than he liked, but he was pretty patient about it. Then I plugged the Didj to the computer and downloaded the game and updates to it, which again took a bit longer than he liked, and he was starting to get annoyed.
Finally it was done and I “ejected” it and turned it back on for him to play. Immediately it shut off. You could see the disappointment on his face. It broke my heart!!! I told him maybe the batteries weren’t strong enough, that we’d take the ones from my camera… if they power it up, they’ll run anything lol. We put the batteries in and immediately it shuts off again.
I tell him maybe it needs more “juice” than my camera, we’d charge them up and try again. We charge the batteries (3 hours) and try again. Same thing!
Now I’m mad! Actually I’m more than mad, I’m pissed! I get on the internet and start searching for a solution. I try the reset button, I try the instructions to reset it to completely factory settings, I try different batteries, I try reinstalling Parent Connect… NOTHING works!!! It’s Christmas and Lucas’s new toy is broke. And I’ve spent over 2 hours at the computer with it instead of my family. It’s a nightmare!
I finally give up and tell him that I’ll have to call customer service today and see what they say. I bought the last silver one that Walmart had so taking it there to exchange wasn’t even an option, even though I would have fought the crowds of bargain shoppers and gift exchangers to make it up to Lucas! Well, LeapFrog is going to replace it, they sent me an email with instructions as to how get it replaced, and in 10 – 15 business days Lucas will finally have a Christmas present to play with.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they’re replacing it, but I just can’t imagine how horrible he’s feeling to watch the kids off with their new toys, when his is sitting in the box on my computer desk…
Oh and before someone comes and says “You gave them a Wii, can’t he be happy with that?” I’m going to answer… The Wii was for the entire family, all of us, and when Lucas tries to play alone all the kids want to join in. And of course they do, it’s everyone’s and it’s so much fun to play together. But that doesn’t stop him from feeling sad while the other kids are enjoying their OWN toys and he can’t be.
I feel really bad for him. I ended up with a broke toy on Christmas once. My Dad tried to fix it and ended up breaking it worse, so the company didn’t replace it or anything because of what my Dad did on top of the problem that was their’s.
I feel really bad for your son, it is horrible to see the other kids playing with their own toys and you don’t have yours. Our parents always got a family game or something too, but it still isn’t quite the same thing as something you can call and feel is your own. My older brother felt so sorry for me he gave me his teddy bear named fuzzy, my brother had him for a few years and really cherished him, yet he gave him to me to help me feel better.
I feel sorry that this happened to your son. We are in a bit of a similar situation. Our son also got the Didj but his keeps requiring a “tune up”. I have to constantly reconnect it to the computer and it seems to lose his play details. I am trying a second type of reset to see if it works.
Luckily for us we have the power supply from our Leapster2 so we have had power to the unit.
Last year our daughter got one of those kid tough cameras and it turned off every 2 mins or so. In the end I took it back to Target and let her pick a new gift. I hope your son gets to enjoy the Didj when his replacement arrives.
Exchanging the Didj at Walmart was my first instinct, but all they had left was pink and I don’t think he’d want a pink toy lol.
The first email I got from LeapFrog said to respond with a scanned receipt or a photo of the product with the RMA # suggesting I write it on the Didj with a permanent marker. I didn’t have a perm. marker so I wrote it on a piece of paper and put the Didj with it and emailed it to them. Then I got an email back saying “We’ve already received your email but we are asking you to send it again but this time, please write down the RMA # on the screen of your didj.”
So now I’m even more angry with LeapFrog that I had to take the kids out in the snow and freezing cold wind to buy a permanent marker just so they’d accept the photo. So our 10-15 business day wait starts today. Lucas isn’t happy and I’m pretty sure no matter how great the Didj may be after we get one that works, he’s never going to love it because of the experience overall.
It really sucks too because we have a ton of LeapFrog toys in the house and I recommended them all the time, and now I’ll never buy another LeapFrog product EVER!!!
Man, I hate it when things like this happen. I got my daughter the DS for Xmas and have had no problems what so ever, so I do not regret getting that! It’s awesome! I have even played the classic Super Mario Brothers game, helping my daughter get through some of the worlds! We have experience technology not working, but luckily it did not happen this Xmas! My heart broke when I read your story. I know how disappointed kids can get when it comes to new things to play with! Hopefully your new one is in excellent condition and you don’t have this problem again! Thanks for sharing your story.
I hope Leapfrog does something special for your son to help make up for it….send him extra games or something….