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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to have a short rant about ex's latest Crap Present for DD?

69 replies

QueenOfFlamingEverything · 18/12/2011 19:35

DD is 8 and her dad has a long history of sending her utterly shit presents.

She had the Argos catalogue the year she was 2. Not a lot of things from the Argos catalogue, just the catalogue. He told her it was 'a book'. I thought maybe he was just being an arse because it was the first Christmas after he'd left us and, well, he was generally being an arse at the time.

Then the next year he got her a box of Quality Street.

The next year, when she was 4, he got her a faux leather pillow with fake fur trim, that said Wild Thing on it in sequins and played the tune when you squeezed it. I think I started an outraged thread on it at the time.

Then there were a few years of his mum buying expensive things and wrapping them up and saying they were from him.

However this year he has fallen out with his mum (I suspect he has got yet another younger woman pregnant - 3 kids and counting so far) and so we are back to his own shitty efforts.

A 29p card (price sticker on the back).... and a packet of 3-for-£1-or-39p-each* strawberry laces stuffed in the envelope. I shit you not. That is what arrived in the post for her. I guess the other two packets went to his other two children, eh.

I mean why bother??? Nothing says I-couldn't-be-arsed like that, does it, even to an 8 yo that idolises him.

The big wanky wanker Xmas Angry

*I should point out that the cost is neither here nor there but for fucks sake, you might want to put just the tiniest bit of effort into the choice! I mean he could've spent 39p in a second hand shop and got something that would've meant more and been chosen specially for her.

OP posts:
bettyblue29 · 19/12/2011 02:32

Get him a present from dd, something along the line of 'parenting for dummies'?! (approx £12 at amazon)

TheHumancatapult · 19/12/2011 02:52

I be tempted to hand him Argos book as his Xmas orsebts this year with note attached saying dd has ringed sone ideas for future reference

empirestateofmind · 19/12/2011 02:59

Wow- an Argos catalogue! Actually it is so awful it is hilarious. Poor DD, I wonder how long it will be before she stops idolising him.

sitandnatter · 19/12/2011 04:06

I came to this thread ready to give it my best "ungrateful witch at least he remembers which is more than some fathers do and have a general dig about greed" but FGS this one takes the biscuit, he's unreal, it's better that he doesn't bother and you really have my sympathy.

I have an ex who has held long promised Xmas presents to ransom with a list of demands that have to be met by the 24th December. I went out and bought them again and told him to stuff them.

Some exes are complete knobs and we were just "lucky" that two of them are ours. Smile

Gonzo33 · 19/12/2011 05:40

One day your dd will wake up to his failings, then you can be smug.

KittyFane · 19/12/2011 07:02

He actually sounds inadequate.
He really hasn't got a clue has he?
I have a friend who sends terrible presents to my DD. She has no idea about what to do and would pick a card ( they all look the same to her) and some sweets ( because children like sweets). Big difference is she is my lovely (slightly, ok a lot, batty) friend :(

Anyway,

On the plus side- at least he sent something ( thought was there)

On the down side - Argos catalogue? 3 women? Artist?

Just thank God you're away from him.

EuphemiaInExcelsis · 19/12/2011 07:21

He sounds like MIL. She manages to find utter tat for DD, stuff you never see in the shops.

She gave her a musical pillow one Christmas - a PVC-covered heart. Xmas Hmm Useless. MIL didn't even know it was musical until DD jumped on it. Xmas Grin

The next birthday was a fleece sleeping bag for a much smaller child, which DD put her foot through the first time she got into it. And a ceramic rabbit with a hole in his back for a plantpot.

She claims not to give much for Christmas and birthdays, because she "gives all year round" - yeah, gives cheap tat that falls apart in minutes. I'd rather she didn't bother.

stinkingbishop · 19/12/2011 07:25

I'm so sorry, I know you don't need this at the moment, but the Argos catalogue is bloomin' hilarious!!!

Maybe it was an artistic statement...

Anyway, deep breath, your DD is getting older now and the idolising will gradually be replaced with disdain as she realises what a numbskulloid he is.

hester · 19/12/2011 07:55

I'm furious for you (and your dd). Skint is no excuse whatsoever - if he can afford fugly pillow he can afford to go to a local charity shop and pick out a book or whatever.

My deadbeat dad never sent any of his many children birthday cards or christmas cards - let alone presents. EVER. He dropped by maybe once a year, drunk. Yet he had the cheek to pitch up when I was in my mid-teens to give me a huge bollocking because I hadn't offered to babysit for his latest child (the only one he stuck around for). He then turned on my mum (you know, the one he beat up and abused, left with 3 kids, never paid a penny child support to) and had a go at HER for not offering to help, saying, "You have no idea how hard it is to look after a baby with no family help".

Hey, we were all furious at the time, but we've had plenty of laughs about it since. That has become a family catchphrase Smile.

QueenOfFlamingEverything · 19/12/2011 08:00

Working link to Fugly Pillow. Really, I wouldn't carp about gifts he sent if there was any care in the choosing - its just that he quite clearly sends any old shit because he assumes that his God-like status will elevate the gift from 'tat' to 'treasure' to DD.

And yes, of course I am glad to be well rid of the arrogant pretentious numpty!

Sympathies to all those who have similar wankers in their lives...

OP posts:
namechanger007 · 19/12/2011 08:04

I thought this was going to be a parent moaning about a crap plastic barbie type present but Jesus, yanbu.

hester · 19/12/2011 08:15

Sweet jesus, that is a hideous thing. And only £3.99!

CheerfulYank · 19/12/2011 08:16

What a useless knob. Angry

Northernlurker · 19/12/2011 08:22

Well a father who sends a card and a gift is better than a father who firgets he has dcs - but only by a short head. Are you going to ring him and point out that sweet isn't cutting it? Why doesn't he draw her a bigger picture. Even if he can't afford to frame it that would be a nice gift.

RomanChristingle · 19/12/2011 13:56

Slightly disturbing that the seller of that pillow is called atomic-sex! I don't think it's supposed to be a childs toy somehow x

Magrathea · 19/12/2011 14:24

If it helps, DH has just called him a "bell end"

Why not send the empty shoe lace wrapper back to him as his present

mippy · 19/12/2011 14:39

My mum always bought the presents in our house. My dad never chose anything, signed the card or anythintg like that. When I was 22, he and my mother had not been speaking for several months, so he had to buy me a present. He went to a pound shop (I could tell) and bought me a pink glove and scarf set (I never wear pink or polyester) and the kind of cheap eyeshadow set you'd give to a 12yr old. It would have been understandable from a distant aunt, not from one's father who was an architect so not exactly skint.

KittyFane · 19/12/2011 15:54

Oh, I'm starting to feel really sorry for people who haven't a clue rather than people who don't try. :(
Not sure which category your ex is in OP - possibly the latter?!

GoingForGoalWeight · 20/12/2011 00:20

Magrathea that really made me laugh - good idea :)

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