DH and I have just had a blazing row about this and I’m looking to see what others think.
Friends have invited us to a Christmas market in their town - stalls, carnival rides, food places, visit Santa, the usual Christmas stuff. These friends have recently had a change in financial circumstances and are really flush. They always spent hard at these types of things anyway in the past, lots of rides for the kids, any toy they want, sweets, food etc which is in the spirit of the event. We were always slightly more restrained with our kids but recently, unfortunately, have much less disposable income and we are saving hard for Christmas because things are going to be tight.
DH wants to take the kids to this market and to explain to them that they can go on one ride or have one thing (budget of about £5 per child). I expect our friends would have 8/9 rides, Santa, a couple of toys. I think we shouldn’t go because it won’t be fair on our kids to go to something like this if they can’t have a few rides, some food, visit Santa etc. I asked if he expected our kids just to watch our friend’s kids go on rides but he says we can take them for a wander around the market. I think this will really not fill the time when their kids are doing things ours aren’t and the kids want to see each other! He says they need to learn that they can’t have everything, which I agree with, and I explain when we can’t afford a particular toy or can’t do something if it’s too expensive, but I think watching their friends have what they can’t have to this extreme is too much. I could tell them we didn’t have enough money to do everything their friends are doing but I feel what they will be doing and what we can do is going to be too different in this case. AIBU or is DH?