How is it possible for my sister and I to be biologically related, have the same set of parents (who are still married), have lived together in the same home for years and still have nearly different parent styles?
As you know I’ve got two girls and she has one, with one on the way. My girls are almost four years apart and hers kids will be eight years apart. I’m strict with my kids, to an extent. I can speak to them once and correct almost any situation thats stirring. My sister had always had issues with my niece and her tantrums/temper. And only this last year I think they’re finally ending.
My kids are the MOST grateful kids you will ever meet. Seriously. You can buy them a bag of chips on Tuesday and Saturday they will still thank you for those chips! I can get away with buying $200 worth of Christmas gifts per child and they’ll have a stack of gifts to open. Where my sister has spent $200 on one gift and gets annoyed when my niece starts asking for more elaborate gifts.
Next week is my niece’s birthday and instead of a party my sister, her boyfriend, my mom, my girls and I are all going to Disneyland. (Last minute invite but hey they’re getting my kids and I in for free so I’m not passing it up! lol ) Well my sister just texted me that my niece made her a birthday wish list that consisted of a jump rope, something else, a Ripstik scooter thingy & a fricken Wii! My sister can’t understand WHERE this sort of list comes from! Um could it come from the $200 electric guitar they bought her for Christmas that she doesn’t play with? Or the talk of getting her her own pink dirt bike, riding suit and helmet with a pink Mohawk so she can go dirt bike riding with her step-dad. Do ya think?
When my sister talks of these sort of purchases/wants Mister and I just sit there and listen. We really can’t get over spending money like that on an eight year old. Maybe it would be different if they lived in a rural area where she could get on the dirt bike and ride it for HOURS daily. But they don’t. They live in an upstairs apartment in the city. Her boyfriend plans trips to go out dirt bike riding.
My Drama Queen girl LOVES making jewelry and other little creative things with beads and craft items. She has TONS of that stuff in storage containers all over her room. Both my girls LOVE to color, write and draw (you should see my fridge! lol) so needless to say I’ve made the Crayola factory rich. They got a lot of those things for Christmas. Guess what? They’re STILL using them, five months later.
We thought about getting The Snitch a Game Boy thingy for her birthday, this past April, but decided against it because I told Mister Our kids don’t play video games as it is so why start them on it now?
I don’t know. I don’t know what rubs me the wrong way most is the stuff they buy for her that doesn’t get used or her elaborate list of things she’s asking for! Oh man, and this is just child #1. Wait til child #2 gets here. They’ve opened up an expensive can of worms! Ha! I think I’ll take my kids to the grocery store tonight and let them pick out a couple of rubber balls! lol
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May 31, 2008 at 1:04am
Carrie
I’m with you. I don’t have my own but I compare with my brother. He takes those boys somewhere EVERY weekend. Be a festival, a water park, camping, etc. It is crazy. I don’t buy them toys. I only buy saving bonds or educational books. Yes, I am the mean aunt but hopefully they will appreciate me someday.
May 31, 2008 at 5:31pm
Sue
I still have my artwork from Corrie on my fridge.
They are most definitely going to regret that, but do you think that maybe they’ll cut back when the second one is born/gets a little older? Or not?
Children most definitely learn from the way you treat them and give them things. My kids know that if they ask for an iPod for Christmas, that very well will probably be the only thing they get. Well, that an underwear, socks and candy in their stockings. Seriously, they know that when you ask for expensive stuff, that is all you get.
Ugh. A’s got her hands full for sure.
June 1, 2008 at 12:57am
Terry
I am trying to teach my bro’s kids the joy of cardboard box, fort building…. Now that is ton’s o fun!!
June 1, 2008 at 2:11pm
Cece
Carrie, we enjoy taking the kids out as much as any parent but it not something we do weekly. Not that we can’t afford to take them “somewhere” its just that, IMO, there is nothing wrong with staying home and playing outside now & then. Saturday my kids went to a neighbor’s house to play, at 1pm, my son came over at 1:15 to babysit them while MIster & I went to the movies. We got home at 5:30 & my kids had JUST got home! lol They had a great day & it didn’t cost us a cent!
Sue, I’m going to let Corrie know you still have her art work. lol Hopefully they’ll slow down w/#2. Its almost impossible to keep it up, unless you’ve already got the bucks flowing in, but if thats the case then my niece is in for a miserable xmas from here on out.
Terry, my kids love to make forts w/our dinnning room chairs b/c they’re the TALL chairs. Free fun!
June 1, 2008 at 5:46pm
Sassy Momma
Oh my goodness, I couldn’t do it. My brother is about the same way, he just bought Punkin a nice guitar a few months ago and I doubt it has been taken out of the box. He knows she does this but he still buys her crap.
Kbug doesn’t get stuff like that. LOL I even make my own bubbles for her to play with. We bought a $19 spring pool a few weeks ago and she’d rather spend the day in the pool then playing with toys.
It’s all about being reasonable with kids and gifts and if you start big and expensive when they’re young they’ll only expect it to get bigger and more expensive later on.
June 2, 2008 at 1:41am
List Mama
I’m just curious, are you this open with your sister about her gift-buying or are you just sure she doesn’t read your blog? I don’t think my sister reads my blog, but I would have a hard time writing about our differences there (and there are plenty).
June 2, 2008 at 7:51pm
Laurel
You give me hope that you can have kids these days without them being total video game addicts! Being creative, playing dress up and doing crafts is totally how I grew up.
June 2, 2008 at 9:09pm
Craze
Dude, your kids rock! They totally only have to be told once. And yes, very appreciative of what they get. I don’t know why there is a big difference in parenting styles, but you’re definately doing something right.
June 3, 2008 at 1:55pm
Ang
Sounds like one of my sisters, she is a tad spoiled and most of her kid spoiling stems from her MIL who takes the boy to Toys R US THREE days after Christmas and will let him get more than a buggy overflowing load of toys…after he already received enough toys for about 5 kids. So now he expects it…gifts round two for every occasion. Though my sister did stand up to her one time (she’s bad enough on buying things on her own) and made MIL take about 80% of the items back…one time. And people wonder why some kids are ungrateful brats?? Those people need MIRRORS!!
I don’t know your kids, but they do sound like really good ones- keep up the good work!!