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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Whiny and ungrateful DS

224 replies

sauvignonandcheesecake · 12/12/2019 21:08

So DS (6) has been badgering me for some big outdoor xmas decorations as a few houses in our road have really gone to town - think inflatable snowmen and santas riding sleighs and a shit ton of lights. Money is very tight at the moment and these sort of decorations are expensive but I didn't want to disappoint him so I spent all morning adapting some existing outdoor halloween decorations we had in the shed ( a four foot Frankenstein and a four foot witch) and made them into Santa Claus and Mrs Claus by adding red/white clothes and hats and wigs and a beard for Santa. It took me ages especially I was "helped" (hindered) by DD (20 months) but was still pleased with the finished result. Anyway when he came home from school and saw them he started crying and pulling at their clothes and spent an hour lying on the sofa crying saying "I don't like Santa with a nail in his neck" (he means the bolt) and "I don't want Mrs Claus to have a big nose". I am gutted - me and DD spent ages on them and DD loves them and keeps looking at them out of the window and clapping. I think he's tired from his school play last night as he was in bed very late but I don't think I'm being unreasonable to say he's ungrateful after I went to all that trouble. Also I asked my neighbour what she thought and she said her granddaughter (she's about 12) had said they "looked weird" and had sent a picture of them on her phone to her friends. I don't know why I bothered now but at least DD loves them.

OP posts:
JasonPollack · 13/12/2019 01:33

Sorry OP that sounds really upsetting when you've tried your best. Hopefully he'll be better after some sleep Flowers

Ignore these stuck-up bitches.

Thelnebriati · 13/12/2019 01:40

10/10 and excellent timing.

PyongyangKipperbang · 13/12/2019 02:12

I wanna FrankenSanta!

[STOMPS OFF IN A HUFF THAT A PROPER ADULT WONT COME AND MAKE ME ONE]

Jamjarcandlestick · 13/12/2019 02:41

Bloody amazing. I’ve just bellied laughed.

Does the witch have a wart on her nose to top it off?

There’s loads of fairy lights being sold on fb around here. Maybe just put some around the window. Or make some snowflakes.

Rubyupbeat · 13/12/2019 03:09

A very creative and funny idea, but to your 6 year old, probably embarrassing, as he said, Santa with a nail through his neck!
I would take them down and explain to him that there wont be any this year.

BuildBuildings · 13/12/2019 03:13

OP this is really sweet you mad this effort. But really we need a photo. Even name change and come on the thread to post it. But please give us a pic!

rosegoldivy · 13/12/2019 03:24

Please post a photo so we can judge accordingly hahaha

Laserbird16 · 13/12/2019 03:32

You tried but it's a bit unrealistic to expect your 6 year old to gush with gratitude for something he didn't ask for.

I'd focus on you and DD had fun. Maybe talk to DS and acknowledge he is dissapointed, how would he like to solve this problem? Buying fancy decos not being an option.

My mum does this to me all the time. Does something I didn't ask her to do and then is furious at me for not being appreciative enough. I've learnt now to fake the required
appreciation but secretly I feel contempt for her insecure little power plays.

You're nowhere near that dark place yet but cut DS some slack and if you like them don't worry about it, it sounds hilarious!

Russell19 · 13/12/2019 03:39

This can't be true Xmas Confused hahaha!

You should have told him it was the grinch!

VanyaHargreeves · 13/12/2019 03:44

Oh OP I'm sorry that things are tight but repurposed Halloween decs will never look festive and it probably didn't look right and upset him.

Oh and as for me and DD spent ages on it and DD really likes them

She's 20 months!

She's hardly got bleeding fingers from hard crafting, and she's too young to have the foggiest idea what they are!

Meanwhile your son who is six, and does understand, quite understandably doesn't want Horror Movie FrankenSanta.

Give your head a wobble!

If I've misread the OP somehow I apologise I'm knackered and need to be in bed!

DoesntLeftoverTurkeySoupDragOn · 13/12/2019 07:04

I'm going to guess that there won't be any photos from the OP.

00100001 · 13/12/2019 07:57

Pics or it didn't happen...

Stompythedinosaur · 13/12/2019 10:56

I think you tried to do a nice thing, and from the perspective of an adult it sounds amazing. But I remember being a child and having parents give cheap alternatives to the things I wanted and thinking it would be better not to have them.

Original poster
sauvignonandcheesecake · 13/12/2019 12:07

Sorry for being slow to update - hectic morning. Sadly for those requesting a photo this unfortunately can't happen now as DH totally sided with DS and said the decorations were embarrassing and dismantled the whole festive display last night. He's going to Wilko in his lunch break to see what else he can get him. For those who said how come we can afford halloween decorations but not xmas ones, I got them from a car boot sale in the summer from an american family who were moving back to the states and let me have them both for a fiver as they needed rid.

For those who asked whether you could see the green bits on frankenstein, it was mostly covered up and he had DH's gloves over his fists but you could see a bit around his eyes even though I pulled his hat down and beard up to cover most of it.

I'm still fed up as I spent about three hours on it yesterday and DD keeps going to the window and saying "all gone" and putting her hands up. Hopefully she'll like the new decorations that DH brings home instead.

To the 15% of you who took my side, thank you!

OP posts:
MsVestibule · 13/12/2019 12:33

Ah, why didn't I read this last night 😀??? It's rare that I proper LOL, but I have howled at the thought of a green faced Father Christmas with a bolt in his neck!!

OP, I know you did your best, but most kids don't want to stand out from the crowd in this way. Yes, he was ungrateful, but he's 6. It's the equivalent of buying a Primark tracksuit and sewing three stripes/a swoosh on it and thinking it's just the same as the real thing.

SerenDippitty · 13/12/2019 12:52

They sound great, an ironic statement about consumer society.

Green faced Santa - too much sherry and mince pies.

KatherineJaneway · 13/12/2019 13:03

It’s like when as a kid you want the real say Paw Patrol... but you’re parents get you some knock off from the market.

Yup

Thehop · 13/12/2019 13:10

I like you OP

BooseysMom · 13/12/2019 13:22

I like you too OP. . you're off the wall and imo that's a good thing Grin

CaptainCabinets · 13/12/2019 13:25

I rarely laugh out loud at threads, but this had me roaring Grin

OP, you’re wonderful Smile but I have tears of laughter at the whole mental image Blush

MurrayTheMonk · 13/12/2019 13:26

Oh op. It's horrible when you spend ages doing something only for the people it was intended for to be negative about it. Even Jc they are only 6.
I would have loved your Hallo-mas display...

Original poster
sauvignonandcheesecake · 13/12/2019 13:28

Thanks @thehop and right back atcha!

I see the tide of approval is turning in my favour and I am now up to an impressive 17%. If this groundswell of support continues, I'll be digging them out of the shed in April and re-purposing them as a giant Easter bunny and fluffy chick............

OP posts:
Octopus37 · 13/12/2019 13:31

Hope you are feeling ok OP, you made loads of effort. TBH I think your DS is ungrateful and doesn't deserve any other decorations. I was talking to my DSis about this early on today and she told me about a time (she is 49) when one set of Grandparents bought her a tool set and the other set bought her a doll in a crib for Christmas. She loved the tool set and hated the doll. Yet she vividly remembers sitting on the floor in the lounge playing with the tool sit, seeing our Grandparents (the ones who had bought the doll) walking up the path and starting playing with the doll immediately cause she didn't want them to know/thought it was unacceptable to let them know that she didn't like it. Kids had manners and a filter in years gone by

Original poster
sauvignonandcheesecake · 13/12/2019 13:33

Also thanks to @booseysmum @captaincabinets and @murraythemonk and everyone else who's been lovely :)

OP posts:
Original poster
sauvignonandcheesecake · 13/12/2019 13:34

and thank you @octopus

OP posts:
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