Going all out for your kids on valentines day

They are trying to prove to to themselves they have these amazing perfect relationships, but they clearly don't or wouldn't feel the need to do it.

No @NewYou42 is dead right, it is ridiculous to feel guilty about something like this. And if you think that’s “mean”, you must have lived a very cosseted life.

never heard of that. I've been marries 51 years and we don;t do anything for each other for Valentines Day we consider it just another Hallmark event

I actually don’t understand why anybody posts a load of self congratulatory shite on SM full stop. What are they trying to prove?

I find it ironic that the three couples I know who were prolific FB poseurs are all divorced now. So all the “I love you to the moon and back ” wasn’t that authentic.

My colleagues shared pictures of the Valentine boxes they were giving their kids - huge things chock full of red and pink and heart themed things. I thought it was weird but then my siblings also did the SM posts with the piles of gifts and house decorations, complete with soppy messages about their kids being mums’ valentines.

One of my colleagues had even done a separate box for her girl kids for Galentines.

If anything I think it’s sad that adults don’t seem to have anything that’s just theirs anymore - everything is now about the kids. Or so it feels.

You've already said that.

Valentine’s Day is for lovers, or wannabe lovers. Extending that to children is frankly weird.

Frankly I think it’s batshit and tacky to go ‘all out’.

Rampant consumerism is gross. It’s terrible for the environment and merely lines the pockets of the likes of Bezos and Musk.

People can do what they want! And nice gestures to kids are good. But SM posts about it are for desperate attention seeking losers IMO.

You don't 'get' that the theme of love has been extended to apply to other people than your crush or romantic partner?

You might not like it or agree with it, but all this faux confusion is rather ridiculous.

Not done this

Don't know anyone who has done this

Not seen anything on social media

I've never come across parents doing anything for their kids to mark Valentine's Day. I wonder if my kids have, though. It could go some way to explain why they seemed so excessively put out at not being included in the romantic dinner for two we had planned after they went to bed!

I haven’t really seen much on SM about huge displays of gifts/cards/breakfasts for people’s children. I did used to know one girl who would go slightly overboard for her 4 kids, but I stopped following her on SM a long time ago (no reason for that other than I had a cull lol) don’t know if she still does it!! However she didn’t work so had a lot of time on her hands!

My baby is 7 months. I bought her a card because I am an overexcited first time mum. Husband bought her a rose just because. When she’s older I’ll probs buy her a card, maybe a little chocolate lolly ( oooo naughty sugar). Might even buy some heart shaped pancakes cos I’ll have to feed her breakfast anyway and chuck some strawberries on them. I’m hoping she’ll like fruit, however when I was little all I would eat was sausage and chips, so probably not - ha!

Each to their own I say. Some people love that kind of stuff, others don’t. Do what you want. Not sure if I’ll ever do the elf. Looks like it could be fun until you run out of ideas. Christmas Eve boxes sound a bit wasteful as it’s literally Christmas Day the next day so all the crap inside them is good for like one day?!

It's ridiculous consumerism. For the first time ever, I sent my best friend of 33 years a Valentine's message on WhatsApp because she had just been diagnosed with cancer the day before. My DH and I didn't even acknowledge it!

I don’t get it. In what way are your adult kids your Valentine’s?

I really don’t understand this at all. I’ve seen people on SM getting their kids cards and gifts from them. I’m baffled by it as I thought it was a romantic thing but maybe it’s changed now?

My younger one's nursery really went in for Valentine's day, with themed crafts, writing "friendship" notes and a photo booth 😂. Obviously they didn't get the "adults only" meme. She came home with a clay heart and told me that she "wuvs" her key worker.

Madness! I've always given my two a card but that's it. This year I painted them a card each. They're 24 and 19

Valentine’s Day is for lovers, or wannabe lovers. American insanity has been imported on this too 🙄

I don’t but my kids gifts for valentines but my daughter (6) likes that it’s a big thing that’s celebrated and asked for a fancy dinner, she asked for steak pie and that’s what she got, it wasn’t fancy but to her it was and she was so happy with it 😂 she also wanted to celebrate Chinese new year she just likes to celebrate the different occasions as they learn about them in school

Valentine's day is about expressing romantic love for another. It is not about parents doing something with or for their children, neither is it for platonic friends.

I don’t feel guilty. My little 5 year old DS gave me a small bunch of roses at the same time his dad gave me some. He was just so excited to give them to me his little face lit up. I gave him a chocolate lolly shaped like a love heart, only because I saw it and thought it was a nice treat.
I was quite taken aback people had gone all out for their DC, but each to their own.

We also probably won’t be able to
stop the social media sales monster so the only thing we can do is control how we respond to it. Either switch off social media if it’s not doing your mental health any good or work on your mind and let all the bullshit wash over you rather than make you angry, guilty or sad.