PSA Don’t give gifts that require parent to do most of activity

[Anonymous]

My kid recently had a birthday party and half the gifts require parent to participate for the entire activity.

Why can’t people just gift a regular toy???

[Anonymous]

My kid whining and crying for us to sew with her, do this science experiment and do a rainbow loom with a million tiny rubber bands. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

I love doing crafts or whatever with my kids. Everyone's different.

[Anonymous]

These are my kids favorite gifts. I understand you are just venting, but if you really hate them then exchange them.

[Anonymous]

... and disappoint the kid
? yay, thanks

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I hear you. People do this because there's this stigma against "just toys" now, like the idea that a kid would just play happily with a doll (toxic gender essentialism obviously) or some blocks is apparently now bad parenting.

The single most hated gift for our kids in our house is this "fort making kit." Which sounds great but it has all this really finicky little connectors that fall apart constantly so you don't even help them build one fort. You spend the entire time repairing the fort and dealing with meltdowns over it collapsing. Super fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These are my kids favorite gifts. I understand you are just venting, but if you really hate them then exchange them.

This sewing gift is the absolute worst gift ever. Rainbow loom right there also. Science gift isn’t so bad.

[Anonymous]

My daughter could do a lot by herself, and I enjoyed helping her for the rest.

My son has a motor disability and when he was young and had such parties, I gave away the crafts and model builds that his sister didn't use. He only wanted books, which his friends usually knew, so he mostly got books anyway.

Stop whining. You sound like an ingrate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love doing crafts or whatever with my kids. Everyone's different.

Op here. Crafts are fine. I have gifted and received other craft gifts that the kid can do. I’m fine to set up and sit next to child doing craft.

The activities I’m talking about is when the adult has to do her entire activity or do the entire activity together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My daughter could do a lot by herself, and I enjoyed helping her for the rest.

My son has a motor disability and when he was young and had such parties, I gave away the crafts and model builds that his sister didn't use. He only wanted books, which his friends usually knew, so he mostly got books anyway.

Stop whining. You sound like an ingrate.

My kid is 6. I’m sure if she was 8 or 9, she could do these. She can barely read the directions and it is a pain in the ass for parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These are my kids favorite gifts. I understand you are just venting, but if you really hate them then exchange them.

This sewing gift is the absolute worst gift ever. Rainbow loom right there also. Science gift isn’t so bad.

Really? My STEM-oriented daughter loved sewing when she was little. It's in the same category as Legos for me. Brain-to-hand work. You ever heard of that story with action video games and surgeons?

Maybe you don't want to air your ignorance all over DCUM, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My daughter could do a lot by herself, and I enjoyed helping her for the rest.

My son has a motor disability and when he was young and had such parties, I gave away the crafts and model builds that his sister didn't use. He only wanted books, which his friends usually knew, so he mostly got books anyway.

Stop whining. You sound like an ingrate.

My kid is 6. I’m sure if she was 8 or 9, she could do these. She can barely read the directions and it is a pain in the ass for parent.

People came to your party. They brought gifts. You can exchange, keep for later, and teach your kid not to bother you if you're busy.

What you DO NOT do is blame the guests who came with gifts.

You're not the right sort of parent for a 6 year old, that's all. I hope you are a better parent when your kid is older.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My daughter could do a lot by herself, and I enjoyed helping her for the rest.

My son has a motor disability and when he was young and had such parties, I gave away the crafts and model builds that his sister didn't use. He only wanted books, which his friends usually knew, so he mostly got books anyway.

Stop whining. You sound like an ingrate.

My kid is 6. I’m sure if she was 8 or 9, she could do these. She can barely read the directions and it is a pain in the ass for parent.

People came to your party. They brought gifts. You can exchange, keep for later, and teach your kid not to bother you if you're busy.

What you DO NOT do is blame the guests who came with gifts.

You're not the right sort of parent for a 6 year old, that's all. I hope you are a better parent when your kid is older.

I’m just tired after the long week. I don’t sew. I do think a sewing gift is a bad gift for a six year old.

Not trying to be ungrateful. I actually always tell my kids to be polite and be thankful. I’m not being a good example.

I have other kids. They were boys and I think they got Pokémon cards, nerf guns, Minecraft characters, misc toys they could play with. My daughter received mostly all gifts she cannot do by herself at all.

[Anonymous]

Simple fix: “no gifts please.”

[Anonymous]

OP,

The No Gift Party was meant for you.

You will never be happy with any gift, since you refuse to actually interact with your child. She'll ask you to read her the book if the gift is a book; you'll be offended at a video game; your child will want to play with the toy you so rudely and unthinkingly demand... *with* you!

The reality here is that your child is craving time with you that you are not giving her.

Make your peace with that, or choose to address it, but stop blaming others for your own inadequacies.