Do you buy bday gifts for YOUR friends' kids?

[Minnie824]

I'm trying to figure out if this should bother me or not, and wanted some unbiased input. There are 4 of us who have been good friends for over 10 years. All of us married. 3 of us have kids. I have 2 DDs, the other 2 both have 1 child. The 3 of us w/kids, always buy little gifts for the kids for their bdays from the other kids. Nothing much, just the thought. Well, recently one of my DDs bdays, the 2 w/kids bought a little gift. Now, the 4th friend, with no kids did not buy DD a gift. Honestly, I don't expect any of them to. And they probably don't expect me to either. And, it doesnt bother me that she didn't buy anything..except for that I know for a fact that she bought gifts for the other 2 friends' kids for their birthdays. Both of them. But not my DDs. Is this rude? Me personally, would either buy for all or none. And as I said, I don't expect them to buy things for my kids, but just wanted some input.

 

[vanreg]

One my friends and I used to do this for each others kids....we decided that they end up with too much. Now, once a year we all go to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate all of the birthdays with no gifts. I think the kids like going there more than the gifts they were getting.

 

[daisyduck123]

One my friends and I used to do this for each others kids....we decided that they end up with too much. Now, once a year we all go to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate all of the birthdays with no gifts. I think the kids like going there more than the gifts they were getting.

I think this is a great idea!!

To the OP...it would probably bother me a little but....perhaps she just forgot when your kids' birthdays are? Maybe your other two friends are very good at "dropping hints" about their kids b-days & your friend picked up on them.

I, myself, have inadvertantly forgotten one friend's b-day while remembering another's the very next month. Stuff happens & I just got busy.

Now if it keeps happening year after year, then your friend is probably intentionally doing it.

 

[emma'smom]

I'm betting she maybe just forgot, especially if everything else is still the same between you and she is good to your kids in general. I would imagine that a friend w/out kids just might not have it on her radar screen in the same way that thoses of us with kids do. She may have remembered late and just didn't want ot make a big deal of her forgetting. Have your daughter's even noticed? If not, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[hollyb]

JMHO Don't stoop to her level keep buying for the kids.

 

[GEM]

Honestly, I can't imagine keeping track of this kind of thing, who bought a gift for whom. Maybe I'm just odd, but it wouldn't bother me at all. Maybe they just forgot, or were short on money when your daughter's birthday rolled around. I'm sure she got plenty of presents. I wouldn't worry about keeping score.

 

[staciepm]

My MIL hasn't given my kids birthday presents (Dec & Jan), but has to the other grands. My brother (married- no kids) occasionally forgets BIL & SIL rarely give my kids b-day presents. We always do for their kids.

I try not to worry. My kids do not need anything and have not noticed the lack of presents. If their feelings were hurt, I would probably get mad.

they probably forgot
Stacie