Man..I was loving my rudolph pin made from a clothes pin with a tiny red pom-pom nose..but OP made me feel all :/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christopher Buckley wrote a book about his parents, and one of the things that stuck with me was how his mother (Pat Buckley, a perennial member of international "best dressed" lists) wore the cheap dime store jewelry that he had bought her all over Manhattan. He realizes now that the jewelry was cheap and gaudy, and also what it said about her and her priorities. Wear the pin. Tell people that it was your Christmas gift from your daughters. People will understand and think more of you for it.

Yawn. I only got to the name

I'm only surprised that it took five pages for someone to post something like this. Heaven forbid you read something that might conflict with your worldview.

Just think of all the fun you and your girls can have picking out DH's birthday and Christmas presents!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP don't you hate those pasta necklaces they make too? They come from love and all but so hideous. The look of excitement on their faces when they give them? Makes you cringe right? Plus they just expect you to wear them! The nerve!!

Signed,
Mom who proudly wears hideous jewelry made/purchased by my children including beaded, painted macaroni, pipe cleaners, TJ Maxx lead lined crap which turns my skin green. Currently sporting 6 rainbow loom bracelets (thanks Santa!).

+1

Sometimes I wear the pasta necklace and the un-matching pasta bracelet too!

Just go with it OP. You'll laugh about it one day. And it will be sentimental when your little girls are grown up and you reflect what it was like back in Christmas '13.

Wow, I consider myself a pretty great mom, but I say thank you and then throw that shit out after hiding it for a couple of days. I've got four kids, 22-6, and none of them have ever asked after any art stuff they made as young children.

I think I know you OP. This doesn't surprise me

Anonymous wrote:Christopher Buckley wrote a book about his parents, and one of the things that stuck with me was how his mother (Pat Buckley, a perennial member of international "best dressed" lists) wore the cheap dime store jewelry that he had bought her all over Manhattan. He realizes now that the jewelry was cheap and gaudy, and also what it said about her and her priorities. Wear the pin. Tell people that it was your Christmas gift from your daughters. People will understand and think more of you for it.

Yawn. I only got to the name

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any woman on the TTC forum would gladly have your problem

+1 Shut up already, you vain petty woman. Good lord!

This. We are not on TTC.

Anonymous wrote:I think a lot of you are missing the point. The issue is not one of OP's response to/interactions with her kids. The issue is whether or not her expectation that her husband should have "steered" the gift choosing towards something she likes is reasonable.

OP, I think you are wrong here. Sure, your husband could have said, "hey, how about this, I think Mommy would like this." But how do you know he didn't try? Maybe he showed them several things and they said, "no, no, THIS is beautiful, THIS is what Mommy would love." Little kids are often insistent that way. Would you he rather have been honest with them and said, "Mommy won't like that?" and deflated their excitement?

I think you are in the wrong here. You are prioritizing your gift over your childrens' in being able to shop for and select a gift with their dad. It is the latter that is important. I remember going Christmas shopping with my dad for my mom. I was always very certain I knew what my mom wanted, and he was always enthusiastic and supportive and then we'd have a conspiratorial time of it. I honestly don't remember my mom's reaction to my gifts (which I'm sure were not to her taste) but I do remember those outings with my dad.

I would assume you have other issues with your husband. If you have a healthy, loving relationship otherwise, you would not be annoyed at him about this. You need to address what is really bothering you.

Not OP, but what would be so terrible about deflating kids' excitement once in a while? It's not exactly a precious commodity. Kids need to learn that, what excites them might not be so exciting to their parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any woman on the TTC forum would gladly have your problem

^^ A very very very good point.

Yuk, you can not deny other people's problems just because you think yours is bigger.

Yup. Why do these posters always feel the need to one up? So ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:OP don't you hate those pasta necklaces they make too? They come from love and all but so hideous. The look of excitement on their faces when they give them? Makes you cringe right? Plus they just expect you to wear them! The nerve!!

Signed,
Mom who proudly wears hideous jewelry made/purchased by my children including beaded, painted macaroni, pipe cleaners, TJ Maxx lead lined crap which turns my skin green. Currently sporting 6 rainbow loom bracelets (thanks Santa!).

+1

Sometimes I wear the pasta necklace and the un-matching pasta bracelet too!

Just go with it OP. You'll laugh about it one day. And it will be sentimental when your little girls are grown up and you reflect what it was like back in Christmas '13.

PP here, I meant to say you are prioritizing your gift over your childrens' experience.

I think a lot of you are missing the point. The issue is not one of OP's response to/interactions with her kids. The issue is whether or not her expectation that her husband should have "steered" the gift choosing towards something she likes is reasonable.

OP, I think you are wrong here. Sure, your husband could have said, "hey, how about this, I think Mommy would like this." But how do you know he didn't try? Maybe he showed them several things and they said, "no, no, THIS is beautiful, THIS is what Mommy would love." Little kids are often insistent that way. Would you he rather have been honest with them and said, "Mommy won't like that?" and deflated their excitement?

I think you are in the wrong here. You are prioritizing your gift over your childrens' in being able to shop for and select a gift with their dad. It is the latter that is important. I remember going Christmas shopping with my dad for my mom. I was always very certain I knew what my mom wanted, and he was always enthusiastic and supportive and then we'd have a conspiratorial time of it. I honestly don't remember my mom's reaction to my gifts (which I'm sure were not to her taste) but I do remember those outings with my dad.

I would assume you have other issues with your husband. If you have a healthy, loving relationship otherwise, you would not be annoyed at him about this. You need to address what is really bothering you.

Anonymous wrote:I gave my kids money (when they were 6&7) so they could pick out something for me on their own. They got me a sweater for the dog and an enormous container of cheese puffs. I appreciated it even though they were gifts for me that were really gifts for them (and the dog).

If you want DH to lead them to something better then tell him exactly what you want and have him work it so it looks like it's from the kids. Or tell them you want nothing but a homemade card from them.

I really don't understand why such obviously self-serving gifts should be so much appreciated. Perhaps they should get a set of new tires and pack of paper towels for their Christmas. Hey, it's the thought that counts!

Poor DH.

You should yell at your 3 year old and tell her that she sucks at picking gifts, slap the 5 year old and then stab the pin in to DH's face. Then run out crying.