Big ticket presents for 3 year old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Insist that instead of wasting their money on junk that will eventually break or be trashed, they contribute the amount they'd use on those gifts to a 529 or another account for future education expenses.

We did this with my parents and ILs. They still bought the kid a present, but something much smaller and with a restricted price, like $20 or under for kids and $50 or under for tweens & teens.

The grandparents that want to wow their grandchildren with exciting gifts are the exact same grandparents who will balk at being ask to write a check to a 529 instead. Ask me how I know.

My kid's favorite grandparent does not get them big huge gifts on Christmas. In fact, she often gets them nothing! But the rest of the year she is engaged and loving and will treat them to things at other times (like Target impulse buys!). It's really do much better. They don't remember who got them what, but they do remember being made to feel special *any* other time of year too.

Yes this seems performative rather than genuine. Like, let’s put a pic on social media of my grandkid with this gigantic gift I got him! Aren’t I the best grandparent!

My parents never buy big ticket gifts, but they buy small treats now and then that they know my kids will love (like cute hair clips or a toy truck) and spend time with them. And contribute several thousand to 529s annually. We could fully fund ourselves but they look upon it as their responsibility too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nugget couch.

+1 or Figgy