Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think Grandma shouldn't have done this..

78 replies

ragrevel79 · 19/11/2014 19:10

So. DS' 7th birthday. He's a Lego fiend. His grandmother (my ex's mother) has bought him a £132 Lego set. She doesn't normally go so stratospheric, my ex's family is quite well off and normally she gets something generous but not crazy. She has told him that it's large, and he gets a bit of a smaller one for Christmas. I feel really quite pissed off that this is the kind of present we as parents would get (on a very generous year! We got something less than half that this year) and she's totally trumped us. I feel that grandparents should get something in line with (or smaller than) the parents. I also feel bad for my parents and my husbands parents that their presents look paltry in comparison. She's normally very well behaved so I am surprised. My ex thinks I should chill out and not make a big deal. I get on with her so I just want to say politely that whilst we are grateful could she not go quite so big in the future. But ffs, surely this should be obvious?!

OP posts:
notagainffffffffs · 19/11/2014 19:12

Just swap the gift tags ;)

pauline6703 · 19/11/2014 19:13

Does DS like the present? It is his and if he likes it all is good. Do not be worried about the cost all that should matter is if he likes it.

bluesbaby · 19/11/2014 19:15

Your want your little one to miss out on a great present because you want to be the best present giver? Hmm wrong attitude...

NorwaySpruce · 19/11/2014 19:17

A 7 year old won't be bothered about the cost, it's just a gift he'll love.

You shouldn't be weighing up others gifts against yours.

I'm always delighted when the grandparents go all out for my children.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 19/11/2014 19:17

YABU

EatShitDezza · 19/11/2014 19:17

My mum spoils my son every year. I struggle to find ideas. I wouldn't stop her though!

It isn't a competition

LadyLuck10 · 19/11/2014 19:17

You're actually pissed off because your child got an amazing present. How about being grateful and thinking of the many children who won't get anythingHmm

TidyDancer · 19/11/2014 19:19

Don't swap the gift tags, that's just silly. Why does it matter who gets the biggest present? Surely what matters is that your DS is happy? You can't really prioritise your desire to be the best present giver over that?

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 19/11/2014 19:21

Will your DS guess it cost so much, does it matter if it's a one-off.

LadyCybilCrawley · 19/11/2014 19:21

Just be grateful she cares

Dinglethdragon · 19/11/2014 19:22
zzzzz · 19/11/2014 19:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ilovehamabeads · 19/11/2014 19:23

I got an £80 Lego set one year that was reduced, plus I had vouchers to use too. It ended up costing me about £4 actual money. Maybe she did something similar. Don't compare prices, just be pleased for your son who will have no idea which presents cost more and who will be over the moon with such a lovely lego set.

ShockingBadHat · 19/11/2014 19:24

I understand how you feel because my SIL does this to me at every single Christmas and birthday. I have told her and told her so it's not in innocence.

I believe it's a control issue. I have cried and sobbed about it but very few people understand, it's hard to express without sounding ungrateful.

Sympathies.

ArthurShappey · 19/11/2014 19:25

You want your little one to miss out on a great present because you want to be the best present giver? wrong attitude.

This!

msgrinch · 19/11/2014 19:25

yabu. Be grateful. Your son will love it!

molesbreath · 19/11/2014 19:25

I don't see the issue.

Grandma has bought a gift ds will love. It's bigger than your gift . So what ?

Fishstix · 19/11/2014 19:27

My mum always gets the kids a bigger present than we do. We can't afford it, she can. DC's get something they love. Seems like a no brainier to me.

NickiFury · 19/11/2014 19:27

I love it when relatives give my children generous presents. I love that they're excited about giving my child something they know they will love plus it saves me a shed load of cash

antarctic · 19/11/2014 19:28

It would annoy me if this happened every year, but you say she's not usually like this so I assume she saw something he'd love and couldn't resist. YABU.

MrsPiggie · 19/11/2014 19:28

My DCs' grandparents always buy the best presents for them. I never thought of it as a competition. My SIL bought a very expensive present for their birthday and I felt bad about it, but only because she spent so much money on my kids. But really, if they can easily afford it and your son is happy, yabu to complain.

BitOutOfPractice · 19/11/2014 19:29

Churlish. That's the word that sprang to mind reading the OP

youarewinning · 19/11/2014 19:31

Be grateful!

My mum and dad aren't short of a few bob and I'm a LP. They offered DS a bike one year for his birthday. I couldn't afford it but no way was DS missing out just because it was the biggest present he got.

BringYourOwnSnowman · 19/11/2014 19:31

YASoBU

grandparents always get the best presents don't they?

And do you give presents to your kids in order to bask in the glory of their gratitude?

LadyLuck10 · 19/11/2014 19:33

ShockingBad you cried and sobbed.
Wow talk about being so ungrateful.