Please stop asking for “experiences” over gifts for your kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My children would love a $5 or even a $10 GC to 7-11. They could buy so many slushees. That would be an awesome present. But no, more junk from Amazon is coming that they will never look at. It doesn’t have to be an expensive experience. We never go to 7-11 and they think it’s the best place ever with that slushee machine.

I’d rather have plastic crap then putting that crap in your kids bodies.

I've seen the children of parents that never let their children have junk or any siar even as a treat. They stuff themselves full of it when their parents aren't around. Teaching your children moderation is basic parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids LOVE gift cards. To icecream shops, movies, Panera etc. They love being able to 'pay' for themselves. My son ordered shake at McDonalds with his lunch because he could (we rarelyl eat there and i never allow a shake). He was SOOO Excited.
My DD got extra sprinkles and whip cream on her sundae with her gift card. THe kids love things like that and look forward to using them. Much more than another toy

Agreed! I ask people for gift cards for my kids if they want to know what to get them. They sort of side eye me, lol. I think they believe it’s for me. My kids really go bonkers over them.

Tacky

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My children would love a $5 or even a $10 GC to 7-11. They could buy so many slushees. That would be an awesome present. But no, more junk from Amazon is coming that they will never look at. It doesn’t have to be an expensive experience. We never go to 7-11 and they think it’s the best place ever with that slushee machine.

I’d rather have plastic crap then putting that crap in your kids bodies.

I've seen the children of parents that never let their children have junk or any siar even as a treat. They stuff themselves full of it when their parents aren't around. Teaching your children moderation is basic parenting.

You can give your kid treats but not all dyes and chemicals. Get an ice cream cone. I teach mine healthy eating and moderation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A gift certificate for a dozen donuts isn't expensive. Young kids love going and picking out a full dozen by themselves.

all.that.sugar.

Well the child isn't supposed to eat the whole dozen. The fun is picking them out, having a couple and sharing the rest. A child can't have a couple donuts once in a while? That's sad.

1-2 fine but a dozen, no.

[Anonymous]

Whatever happened to - Thank you so much. You needn’t have, but very kind of you?

Now people are dictating what they want their kids to have “as gifts” (such bad form to even mention), getting upset that they don’t get what they wanted them to have, belittling gifts someone was kind enough to go out of they way to buy for your child.

This level of entitlement in Parents is astounding. What are you teaching your kids about being grateful, gracious, and polite? Kids learn by what you do, not by what you say to Aunt Susie.
I’m appalled. I’ve never seen a child’s birthday invitation mentioning gifts in any way. Where is this happening?

[Anonymous]

Pp again. If someone asks you should politely say please don’t worry about a gift. Just bring little Charlie to have fun.
Even if they insist, you must also insist that they not worry.

I don’t know anyone who behaves like this. I’m mortified for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A gift certificate for a dozen donuts isn't expensive. Young kids love going and picking out a full dozen by themselves.

all.that.sugar.

Who the hell is eating the whole dozen? How are so many of you like this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes...you sound very hostile OP. Don't give anything if you are so bitter about life. The world doesn't need any more negativity.

Like others have said ...experiences can be free. You could give the parents free babysitting. That would provide for a great experience. You could take the kid to a park or invite over for a sleepover.

Go home Scrooge.

This would 100% be viewed as being cheap.

Nope. We don't want or need more crap. Honestly. Spending time is always a good idea.

Little kids do not understand quality time. They understand Christmas equals gifts, and they absolutely notice if Aunt Sarah didn’t send a gift this year.

Yikes. My kids don’t “keep tabs” on who doesn’t give them a gift. And they are super excited to go do fun stuff, even just fishing in Grandpa’s neighborhood or a trip to a play place down the street. Guess how much they care about the FOURTH fire truck they’ve been gifted in 2 years ...

Except for their most beloved toys, they don’t even notice when I do quarterly playroom decluttering/donation. If you don’t want to gift experiences fine, but know the cheap plastic junk you gift will be like setting your money on fire.

That makes me incredibly sad. I am not judging anyone, but that would definitely warrant some changes in my home if my kids were that focused on who did or didn't buy them a gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids LOVE gift cards. To icecream shops, movies, Panera etc. They love being able to 'pay' for themselves. My son ordered shake at McDonalds with his lunch because he could (we rarelyl eat there and i never allow a shake). He was SOOO Excited.
My DD got extra sprinkles and whip cream on her sundae with her gift card. THe kids love things like that and look forward to using them. Much more than another toy

Agreed! I ask people for gift cards for my kids if they want to know what to get them. They sort of side eye me, lol. I think they believe it’s for me. My kids really go bonkers over them.

Tacky

What part is tacky? If someone asks what to get my child and I give an answer, is that tacky?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get experiences for all the kids in my circle. Some of the ones I’ve given are go ape, trip to nyc, shows at the Kennedy center, and car racing. They are all pretty inexpensive. My kids get the same.

trips to NYC for multiple kids = inexpensive. Riiiiight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get experiences for all the kids in my circle. Some of the ones I’ve given are go ape, trip to nyc, shows at the Kennedy center, and car racing. They are all pretty inexpensive. My kids get the same.

trips to NYC for multiple kids = inexpensive. Riiiiight.

Well that’s kind of the problem as another PP pointed out. Most of the families asking for experiences over gifts are asking this because their kids want for nothing and have all the toys in the world. Add on top of this that going for ice cream or to lunch is also a normal occurrence, the expectation for “experiences” are $$$. Movies, aquariums, go karts, etc are obviously not as much as a trip to NYC but factor in multiple kids and it is substantially more expensive than the cute HomeGoods toy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids LOVE gift cards. To icecream shops, movies, Panera etc. They love being able to 'pay' for themselves. My son ordered shake at McDonalds with his lunch because he could (we rarelyl eat there and i never allow a shake). He was SOOO Excited.
My DD got extra sprinkles and whip cream on her sundae with her gift card. THe kids love things like that and look forward to using them. Much more than another toy

Agreed! I ask people for gift cards for my kids if they want to know what to get them. They sort of side eye me, lol. I think they believe it’s for me. My kids really go bonkers over them.

Tacky

What part is tacky? If someone asks what to get my child and I give an answer, is that tacky?

Cash or gift card is not a gift. You are greedy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get experiences for all the kids in my circle. Some of the ones I’ve given are go ape, trip to nyc, shows at the Kennedy center, and car racing. They are all pretty inexpensive. My kids get the same.

trips to NYC for multiple kids = inexpensive. Riiiiight.

Well that’s kind of the problem as another PP pointed out. Most of the families asking for experiences over gifts are asking this because their kids want for nothing and have all the toys in the world. Add on top of this that going for ice cream or to lunch is also a normal occurrence, the expectation for “experiences” are $$$. Movies, aquariums, go karts, etc are obviously not as much as a trip to NYC but factor in multiple kids and it is substantially more expensive than the cute HomeGoods toy.

Exactly. Parent need to cut back their buying, not others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids LOVE gift cards. To icecream shops, movies, Panera etc. They love being able to 'pay' for themselves. My son ordered shake at McDonalds with his lunch because he could (we rarelyl eat there and i never allow a shake). He was SOOO Excited.
My DD got extra sprinkles and whip cream on her sundae with her gift card. THe kids love things like that and look forward to using them. Much more than another toy

Agreed! I ask people for gift cards for my kids if they want to know what to get them. They sort of side eye me, lol. I think they believe it’s for me. My kids really go bonkers over them.

Tacky

What part is tacky? If someone asks what to get my child and I give an answer, is that tacky?

Cash or gift card is not a gift. You are greedy.

I don't agree. I think it would be greedy and tacky to just announce that my child only wants money or gift cards. I do not think it is greedy or tacky to answer a question if asked. I usually say that my kids do not need anything at all, so there is no need to buy them anything. If the person pushes saying they really want to get them something, I will mention gift cards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids LOVE gift cards. To icecream shops, movies, Panera etc. They love being able to 'pay' for themselves. My son ordered shake at McDonalds with his lunch because he could (we rarelyl eat there and i never allow a shake). He was SOOO Excited.
My DD got extra sprinkles and whip cream on her sundae with her gift card. THe kids love things like that and look forward to using them. Much more than another toy

Agreed! I ask people for gift cards for my kids if they want to know what to get them. They sort of side eye me, lol. I think they believe it’s for me. My kids really go bonkers over them.

Tacky

What part is tacky? If someone asks what to get my child and I give an answer, is that tacky?

Cash or gift card is not a gift. You are greedy.

Not PP but I think you are reaching. If someone asks what they can get, a gift card is a great gift.