grandma wants to give kids a "big" gift

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My SIL never hesitated to ask the grandparents for the big things because they will only spend probably $40 of their own money on their chosen and rely in the grandparents for the big gifts. I don’t really care what they do with their money, but I guess grandma is afraid our kids will feel slighted.

Nice SIL dig.

[Anonymous]

This only gets harder as the kids get older. Join us on the "experiences v. gifts" thread. You can complain about your narcissistic boomer parents who insist on having the "biggest" gift at christmas whether the kids need stuff or not. My mom and MIL have now been in competition for over 16 years.

[Anonymous]

Let them buy bikes! Ask for good quality ones and not Walmart type junk, it makes a big difference. Sure, they can’t use them right now, but then that cost is out of the way for something they will likely want down the road. If they aren’t asking for anything expensive then Then it’s even better because they aren’t really going to care.

If bikes are a no, then think about other items that will be useful down the road. iPads? Annual passes to a place of interest? Family hobby supplies? I’m sure there is something you can think of that is they will want. It’s the same as cash, since it gets the needed items and keeps the cash in your pocket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whats wrong with a playhouse if you have a big yard?

OP is greedy and just wants cash. She doesn't want the grandparents to get credit and wants to take credit for buying the gift with their cash.

Wow, project much?

I was fine with the kids getting a few smaller things, and then if she wants to do cash alive whatever few items they requested it goes into a 529 and they can spend a small amount of it to buy something themselves. I don’t want a playhouse because the 7 year old would be too big for it, and honestly we’re not home enough to use it. On the weekends only, maybe.

I don’t give a shit about “credit”. My kids can’t even remember who gave them what the very next day. They really just didn’t ask for much. No big gifts like Nintendo or iPads or whatever. Everything they wanted was under $60 and honestly I’m okay with that because I don’t really want to encourage wanting of “things,” which Christmas seems to do no matter our best intentions.

My SIL never hesitated to ask the grandparents for the big things because they will only spend probably $40 of their own money on their chosen and rely in the grandparents for the big gifts. I don’t really care what they do with their money, but I guess grandma is afraid our kids will feel slighted.

NP How do you know it is because SIL asked? Pehaps MIL asked her and wanted to give a big present to her kids the same way she wants to treat your kids? Isn't it nice that MIL wants to treat her grandchildren equally? Why does it seem from your post that this is a negative not a positive? I would work on your Christmas spirit, op!

[Anonymous]

A wii?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A wii?

Is it 2005?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This only gets harder as the kids get older. Join us on the "experiences v. gifts" thread. You can complain about your narcissistic boomer parents who insist on having the "biggest" gift at christmas whether the kids need stuff or not. My mom and MIL have now been in competition for over 16 years.

Ha, at “least” my MIL only gives crappy presents from Value City than usually break 2 weeks in..... that’s a whole separate problem! lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whats wrong with a playhouse if you have a big yard?

OP is greedy and just wants cash. She doesn't want the grandparents to get credit and wants to take credit for buying the gift with their cash.

Wow, project much?

I was fine with the kids getting a few smaller things, and then if she wants to do cash alive whatever few items they requested it goes into a 529 and they can spend a small amount of it to buy something themselves. I don’t want a playhouse because the 7 year old would be too big for it, and honestly we’re not home enough to use it. On the weekends only, maybe.

I don’t give a shit about “credit”. My kids can’t even remember who gave them what the very next day. They really just didn’t ask for much. No big gifts like Nintendo or iPads or whatever. Everything they wanted was under $60 and honestly I’m okay with that because I don’t really want to encourage wanting of “things,” which Christmas seems to do no matter our best intentions.

My SIL never hesitated to ask the grandparents for the big things because they will only spend probably $40 of their own money on their chosen and rely in the grandparents for the big gifts. I don’t really care what they do with their money, but I guess grandma is afraid our kids will feel slighted.

NP How do you know it is because SIL asked? Pehaps MIL asked her and wanted to give a big present to her kids the same way she wants to treat your kids? Isn't it nice that MIL wants to treat her grandchildren equally? Why does it seem from your post that this is a negative not a positive? I would work on your Christmas spirit, op!

Ha real Christmas spirit is in tact.... it’s all the commercial spirit that’s weak. lol

I know my SIL asked for those things because she told me. Grandma just says “send us a list” and our list is usually books, clothes and a few toys, theirs is usually the big items they want to buy their kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let them buy bikes! Ask for good quality ones and not Walmart type junk, it makes a big difference. Sure, they can’t use them right now, but then that cost is out of the way for something they will likely want down the road. If they aren’t asking for anything expensive then Then it’s even better because they aren’t really going to care.

If bikes are a no, then think about other items that will be useful down the road. iPads? Annual passes to a place of interest? Family hobby supplies? I’m sure there is something you can think of that is they will want. It’s the same as cash, since it gets the needed items and keeps the cash in your pocket.

This gave me an idea.... maybe a year subscription to Disney +? I was trying to think of places we might use regularly and couldn’t think of anything.

[Anonymous]

What about a subscription box, like Kiwi, or Raddish?

[Anonymous]

Ask for an indoor gym

https://gym1.net/product/deluxe-indoor-playground/?utm_attribute=DMPaidSearchGoogle&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImJjvsfnG5gIVAdbACh3l7gwaEAQYASABEgIhZvD_BwE

[Anonymous]

Can you ask her to get them the bikes, but delay the purchase until the warm weather? So on christmas day they open a box that contains a note that says they get to pick out a bike (up to $150 or whatever) in April.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you ask her to get them the bikes, but delay the purchase until the warm weather? So on christmas day they open a box that contains a note that says they get to pick out a bike (up to $150 or whatever) in April.

Grandparents won’t get the big wow they want. These bikes are not about the kids, they are all about feeding gramma’s ego on Christmas Day.

[Anonymous]

Grandma got tired of waiting and decided to do the box/bike /cash idea without my prompting, so once the kids are ready to go we’ll buy them with grandma’s gift $. Thanks for the input all! Silver lining is the conversation got us taking them out on a cold day to spend some time outdoors (one on the micro scooter, other on a too- small bike, lol).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grandma got tired of waiting and decided to do the box/bike /cash idea without my prompting, so once the kids are ready to go we’ll buy them with grandma’s gift $. Thanks for the input all! Silver lining is the conversation got us taking them out on a cold day to spend some time outdoors (one on the micro scooter, other on a too- small bike, lol).

My sons bike is also tiny on him but he hasn’t noticed lol. He’s getting one for Christmas too.