Birthday invite has specific "suggested" gift item

[Anonymous]

so many people with charity lists to have the gifts sent to and some just trying to make life even harder for the spoiled children...

oh well... and the kids around the corner still hungry...

sigh...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Giving gifts is fun and so is receiving them. I don't like the 'no gift' idea. I also don't like not opening gifts at parties. These things can be awkward but we have to learn to navigate awkward situations in life, not just say "i'm going to avoid that altogether instead of dealing with a bit of awkwardness."

Oh grow up.

An awkward moment in life is going to a restaurant and running in to your father and some woman not your mother having an intimate dinner.

An awkward moment is NOT teaching your child that they must give a gift to show their appreciation for someone or they risk being considered a party pooper.

Seriously, I am NOT going to tell my child to man up and accept birthday gifts for the sake of appeasing someone else!

My point is that it is simply a bit awkward, not something so difficult that it should be done away with by not giving or receiving gifts altogether (i.e. "no gifts please"). Sorry you're having such a bad day. Maybe you're debating whether or not to tell your mother the news....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give the little brat a tea set and her mother an etiquette book.

Why is the little girl a brat? How would you know?

I posted before that I thought that, if the OP attends the party, that it would be passive-aggressive NOT to bring a tea set. To the poster who asked why that would be passive-aggressive-- Because by not buying a tea set you are specifically sending the message that you don't think it's acceptable, but you are sending the message in an indirect way. Don't misunderstand, I don't think this type of stuff should be condoned. But for God's sake, a little girl's birthday party is not the venue to be picking fights with her parents. I don't know for sure if the little girl participated in making a wish list, but what if she did and ended up getting nothing from it? (Sure, in my household, my little girl doesn't get everything she wants, but it's not my place to be teaching other people's kids' life lessons.) What if no one goes to her party because all the other parents are equally as turned off by her parents manners? Sure, her parents will get the message, but is it worth it? We're all forced to live in world where some people lack manners that we think are appropriate, but it's not my job to teach them lessons, especially not at the expense of a little kid's feelings.

[Anonymous]

Well, bully for you. I like to teach people lessons when they are horridly rude. Saves people like you from having to do anything at all. Perfect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Giving gifts is fun and so is receiving them. I don't like the 'no gift' idea. I also don't like not opening gifts at parties. These things can be awkward but we have to learn to navigate awkward situations in life, not just say "i'm going to avoid that altogether instead of dealing with a bit of awkwardness."

Oh grow up.

An awkward moment in life is going to a restaurant and running in to your father and some woman not your mother having an intimate dinner.

An awkward moment is NOT teaching your child that they must give a gift to show their appreciation for someone or they risk being considered a party pooper.

Seriously, I am NOT going to tell my child to man up and accept birthday gifts for the sake of appeasing someone else!

My point is that it is simply a bit awkward, not something so difficult that it should be done away with by not giving or receiving gifts altogether (i.e. "no gifts please"). Sorry you're having such a bad day. Maybe you're debating whether or not to tell your mother the news....[/quote]

Actually I made up that bit about the father as an example -- my parents divorce was due to alcoholism for full disclosure.

Your post just really irritated me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Giving gifts is fun and so is receiving them. I don't like the 'no gift' idea. I also don't like not opening gifts at parties. These things can be awkward but we have to learn to navigate awkward situations in life, not just say "i'm going to avoid that altogether instead of dealing with a bit of awkwardness."

Oh grow up.

An awkward moment in life is going to a restaurant and running in to your father and some woman not your mother having an intimate dinner.

An awkward moment is NOT teaching your child that they must give a gift to show their appreciation for someone or they risk being considered a party pooper.

Seriously, I am NOT going to tell my child to man up and accept birthday gifts for the sake of appeasing someone else!

My point is that it is simply a bit awkward, not something so difficult that it should be done away with by not giving or receiving gifts altogether (i.e. "no gifts please"). Sorry you're having such a bad day. Maybe you're debating whether or not to tell your mother the news....[/quote]

Actually I made up that bit about the father as an example -- my parents divorce was due to alcoholism for full disclosure.

Your post just really irritated me.

I'm speechless.

[Anonymous]

My point is that it is simply a bit awkward, not something so difficult that it should be done away with by not giving or receiving gifts altogether (i.e. "no gifts please"). Sorry you're having such a bad day. Maybe you're debating whether or not to tell your mother the news....[/quote]

Actually I made up that bit about the father as an example -- my parents divorce was due to alcoholism for full disclosure.

Your post just really irritated me.

I'm speechless.

Well that might just be a first on this list!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give the little brat a tea set and her mother an etiquette book.

Why is the little girl a brat? How would you know?

I posted before that I thought that, if the OP attends the party, that it would be passive-aggressive NOT to bring a tea set. To the poster who asked why that would be passive-aggressive-- Because by not buying a tea set you are specifically sending the message that you don't think it's acceptable, but you are sending the message in an indirect way. Don't misunderstand, I don't think this type of stuff should be condoned. But for God's sake, a little girl's birthday party is not the venue to be picking fights with her parents. I don't know for sure if the little girl participated in making a wish list, but what if she did and ended up getting nothing from it? (Sure, in my household, my little girl doesn't get everything she wants, but it's not my place to be teaching other people's kids' life lessons.) What if no one goes to her party because all the other parents are equally as turned off by her parents manners? Sure, her parents will get the message, but is it worth it? We're all forced to live in world where some people lack manners that we think are appropriate, but it's not my job to teach them lessons, especially not at the expense of a little kid's feelings.

I think if you do what the mother demands (and you disagree with it), you are enabling bad behavior. It's not passive-aggressive to throw that suggestion out and instead go happily choose a gift you think the little girl would enjoy. I'm not someone's personal shopper.

[Anonymous]

Dude, this is getting weird. So it someone's father boinking someone or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dude, this is getting weird. So it someone's father boinking someone or not?

I never thought I'd write this, but here goes -- LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dude, this is getting weird. So it someone's father boinking someone or not?

Right now, as we type, someone's father is surely indeed boinking someone, whether or not that woman is his spouse. But the PP was just providing an example of an awkward moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dude, this is getting weird. So it someone's father boinking someone or not?

Right now, as we type, someone's father is surely indeed boinking someone, whether or not that woman is his spouse. But the PP was just providing an example of an awkward moment.

May not even be a woman!

[Anonymous]

1.) The child is not a brat. She has done nothing to deserve this. Calling the child names is pointless and petty and with parents like this her life is probably going to suck so feel sorry for her.

2.) The Parents (not just the Mom) are horrendous and tacky and should be ashamed but clearly do not have enough class to be ashamed.

3.) Just respond "we are unable to attend" and be done with it. Do not lower yourself to these people's level by being rude or mean or petty. They are so pathetic that they are not even worth talking about either so don't gossip about this either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
3.) Just respond "we are unable to attend" and be done with it. Do not lower yourself to these people's level by being rude or mean or petty. They are so pathetic that they are not even worth talking about either so don't gossip about this either.

I thought about that, too. But what if your kid genuinely likes the other kid and wants to go? What if "everyone" declined the invite and the little girl didn't get to have a party at all?

I still vote for bringing whatever gift you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
3.) Just respond "we are unable to attend" and be done with it. Do not lower yourself to these people's level by being rude or mean or petty. They are so pathetic that they are not even worth talking about either so don't gossip about this either.

I thought about that, too. But what if your kid genuinely likes the other kid and wants to go? What if "everyone" declined the invite and the little girl didn't get to have a party at all?

I still vote for bringing whatever gift you want.

that's what i was thinking too. why punish the kid because her mother lacks etiquette? that's mean to the kid. i would rather go with a nontea seat gift than not go at all... that is, if the kids were friends.