Is it okay to put family first? (Response to royal family stuff)

[TipsyTraveler]

I'd be surprised, if that's the case for most people. I always ask for gift suggestions for my young great nieces & great nephews. That way I don't have to worry about buying something they already have. To each their own, but there's no way I'm buying a baby or toddler curtains or a waffle maker. I want to buy a gift that the child will have fun with not help the parents furnish their home. If the parent asks for curtains or a waffle maker as their gift, I'm happy to buy that for them.

Well, my kid picked out those dinosaur curtains himself for his new bedroom and they’d been sitting on his wishlist forever because they were low priority compared to the bazillion other things we needed to pay for in our new house. I don’t understand people who ask for suggestions, then decide they don’t like the answer and buy something else the kid didn’t ask for. If you have something “fun” in mind you want to give, just give it without going through the pretense of needing gift ideas. It’s easy enough to tell the parent “I want to get her a such-and-such. She doesn’t already have one, does she?”

 

[Tink-osophy]

Well, my kid picked out those dinosaur curtains himself for his new bedroom and they’d been sitting on his wishlist forever because they were low priority compared to the bazillion other things we needed to pay for in our new house. I don’t understand people who ask for suggestions, then decide they don’t like the answer and buy something else the kid didn’t ask for. If you have something “fun” in mind you want to give, just give it without going through the pretense of needing gift ideas. It’s easy enough to tell the parent “I want to get her a such-and-such. She doesn’t already have one, does she?”

If I knew the little one specifically loved dinosaurs (and had even chosen dinosaur curtains himself), I'd get them.

As long as the gift is directly for the child and going to bring her/him joy, I'm happy with that.

It's also fun buying drumkits for other people's kids!

 

[TLSnell1981]

Really? What toddler wants a waffle iron? Am I misunderstanding something here? This is practically sublime.

Exactly. He's only one!

 

[Tink-osophy]

I sure hope those two will read this thread soon so they'll know how to behave in the future.

Well, they want "to be of service", so they need to get to know the people and what they think and actually need.

Plus, they're building a brand, in which case it's pretty important to know the market.

And, since they rely on being in the spotlight, they need to respect and acknowledge their audience - preferably inspiring, rather than lecturing and setting an example rather than urging others in one direction and going in another themselves.

If you want to lead, it's a cliché, but you mostly have to do it from behind, which means seeing and hearing everyone in front of you. Somehow, you even set your example from back there! You can't just pay attention to the people lauding you; you have to find ways to relate to everyone you want to influence.

And, especially bearing in mind the huge privileges they have (and one way or another will continue to have, courtesy of the UK and probably others) they need to appreciate the people paying.

So, yes, it's good to pay attention and not just dismiss people who aren't pleasing you!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Well, my kid picked out those dinosaur curtains himself for his new bedroom and they’d been sitting on his wishlist forever because they were low priority compared to the bazillion other things we needed to pay for in our new house. I don’t understand people who ask for suggestions, then decide they don’t like the answer and buy something else the kid didn’t ask for. If you have something “fun” in mind you want to give, just give it without going through the pretense of needing gift ideas. It’s easy enough to tell the parent “I want to get her a such-and-such. She doesn’t already have one, does she?”

I haven't had a young child in so long that I have no idea what toys are popular now. It's safer to ask for suggestions. If the parent asks for clothes or stuff for the house, I just tell them I prefer to buy a toy & ask for suggestions. When my nieces & nephews were young, one of my sisters would always say her kids wanted clothes or stuff for their room. I ended up spending a lot on a gift that the child was disappointed in, when they opened it. As I said above, to each their own, but I will no longer buy that type of gift for a young child.

 

[Skywalker]

I haven't had a young child in so long that I have no idea what toys are popular now. It's safer to ask for suggestions. If the parent asks for clothes or stuff for the house, I just tell them I prefer to buy a toy & ask for suggestions. When my nieces & nephews were young, one of my sisters would always say her kids wanted clothes or stuff for their room. I ended spending a lot on a gift that the child was disappointed in, when they opened it. As I said above, to each their own, but I will no longer buy that type of gift for a young child.

That's funny, it's like in Toy Story when Andy was opening his presents at his birthday party and someone gave him matching bed sheets. One of the toys was like, "Who invited that kid?"

Yeah, I also wouldn't want to be the person buying the boring old utilitarian gifts while everyone else got the glory of the whiz-bang showstoppers lol. Nice try, mom and dad.

 

[stsomewhere]

When my MIL asked for gift ideas for the kids this past Christmas, some of the things I suggested were bedroom curtains for the 3 year old and a booster seat for the baby. They sure as heck don’t need more toys, nor does anyone need ideas when buying toys for kids that young, if that’s the type of gift they’re looking to give. So, if you’re asking, I assume it’s because you’re looking to give something that is needed or would be of use. If my kid had recently fallen in love with waffles, I would’ve suggested a waffle maker. I didn’t think I was a weirdo, but maybe I am.

FWIW, my thoughts on the organic comment... I don’t adhere to an organic diet but I am vegan and that’s something people will specify when talking about me, presumably because it’s something out of the ordinary that they associate with me, not because they’re attempting to craft an image for me. It wouldn’t be unusual for someone to say “and Tipsy uses it to make vegan waffles.” (My husband wouldn’t say it because he’s also vegan but non-vegan friends and family, sure.) I took Harry’s comment as just that — he’s not on a strictly organic diet whereas Meghan is, and it’s something he associates with her. “Yeah, you know, her and her organic waffle recipe...”

My teen daughter asked for waffle maker a few years ago. SHe loves it. She makes waffles almost every day. She puts nuetella, strawberries and powdered sugar one it. I thought it would never get used. This year For her birthday , she had a waffle bar and bacon for a small gathering

 

[TippyThomas]

Well, they want "to be of service", so they need to get to know the people and what they think and actually need.

Plus, they're building a brand, in which case it's pretty important to know the market.

And, since they rely on being in the spotlight, they need to respect and acknowledge their audience - preferably inspiring, rather than lecturing and setting an example rather than urging others in one direction and going in another themselves.

If you want to lead, it's a cliché, but you mostly have to do it from behind, which means seeing and hearing everyone in front of you. Somehow, you even set your example from back there! You can't just pay attention to the people lauding you; you have to find ways to relate to everyone you want to influence.

And, especially bearing in mind the huge privileges they have (and one way or another will continue to have, courtesy of the UK and probably others) they need to appreciate the people paying.

So, yes, it's good to pay attention and not just dismiss people who aren't pleasing you!

I sure hope they read your words.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I haven't had a young child in so long that I have no idea what toys are popular now. It's safer to ask for suggestions. If the parent asks for clothes or stuff for the house, I just tell them I prefer to buy a toy & ask for suggestions. When my nieces & nephews were young, one of my sisters would always say her kids wanted clothes or stuff for their room. I ended spending a lot on a gift that the child was disappointed in, when they opened it. As I said above, to each their own, but I will no longer buy that type of gift for a young child.

I think it’s fine to specify a “category” when asking for gift ideas if you have a preference. “I’d like to buy a Suzy a toy, a book, something for her room...” If you’re just vaguely asking for “ideas,” then be prepared you may get some suggestions that seem odd or not very exciting from your point of view. As I type this, my kid is sitting next to me carrying on, once again, about the.... sigh, I’m almost embarrassed to even post this.... D.B. Cooper hoodie the actors on his favorite tv show wear. This ridiculously stupid show that my son is obsessed with has a storyline about solving the D.B. Cooper case, so now I have a 3 year old who is infatuated with all things D.B. Cooper. That hoodie is for sale online, and if you showed up with it as a gift he’d lose his mind. No toy would match the excitement he’d feel for that hoodie. But, if you asked me for gift ideas for my 3 year old and I told you a D.B. Cooper hoodie...

Archie’s too young to ask for specific gifts so, if this story is true and to be taken at face value, I imagine it went something like this:

Queen Grandma: What does Archie want for Christmas?

Meghan and Harry, looking around at the ever-growing mountain of toys their kid doesn’t play with: Oh, you know what? He goes crazy for waffles every time we go to brunch. He’d love to have waffles at home!

Queen ships them a waffle maker and now the kid wakes up every morning excited to eat waffles. Sounds like a pretty good gift to me. Harry and Meghan can certainly afford to buy a waffle maker if they just wanted one for themselves, so I can believe the idea was offered up in an honest attempt to give grandma a gift idea he would enjoy. It sounds like the problem with your sister was that she wasn’t giving suggestions of things the kids actually wanted. Unless they were young enough that she had to guess at what they might like, because that can be hit or miss. The toy I suggested to my MIL for the 3 year old was not a hit this Christmas. But he likes those curtains!

 

[Skywalker]

I think it’s fine to specify a “category” when asking for gift ideas if you have a preference. “I’d like to buy a Suzy a toy, a book, something for her room...” If you’re just vaguely asking for “ideas,” then be prepared you may get some suggestions that seem odd or not very exciting from your point of view. As I type this, my kid is sitting next to me carrying on, once again, about the.... sigh, I’m almost embarrassed to even post this.... D.B. Cooper hoodie the actors on his favorite tv show wear. This ridiculously stupid show that my son is obsessed with has a storyline about solving the D.B. Cooper case, so now I have a 3 year old who is infatuated with all things D.B. Cooper. That hoodie is for sale online, and if you showed up with it as a gift he’d lose his mind. No toy would match the excitement he’d feel for that hoodie. But, if you asked me for gift ideas for my 3 year old and I told you a D.B. Cooper hoodie...

Archie’s too young to ask for specific gifts so, if this story is true and to be taken at face value, I imagine it went something like this:

Queen Grandma: What does Archie want for Christmas?

Meghan and Harry, looking around at the ever-growing mountain of toys their kid doesn’t play with: Oh, you know what? He goes crazy for waffles every time we go to brunch. He’d love to have waffles at home!

Queen ships them a waffle maker and now the kid wakes up every morning excited to eat waffles. Sounds like a pretty good gift to me. Harry and Meghan can certainly afford to buy a waffle maker if they just wanted one for themselves, so I can believe the idea was offered up in an honest attempt to give grandma a gift idea he would enjoy. It sounds like the problem with your sister was that she wasn’t giving suggestions of things the kids actually wanted. Unless they were young enough that she had to guess at what they might like, because that can be hit or miss. The toy I suggested to my MIL for the 3 year old was not a hit this Christmas. But he likes those curtains!

As someone who has always found the D.B. Cooper case fascinating, I am just so curious...what is the show???

 

[TipsyTraveler]

As someone who has always found the D.B. Cooper case fascinating, I am just so curious...what is the show???

Lol, it’s called Axel Adventure Agents. HBO Max recently released a D.B. Cooper documentary as well. And, if you’re interested, you can come run around my backyard looking for D.B. Cooper clues with my 3 year old.

 

[Skywalker]

Lol, it’s called Axel Adventure Agents. HBO Max recently released a D.B. Cooper documentary as well. And, if you’re interested, you can come run around my backyard looking for D.B. Cooper clues with my 3 years old.

THANK YOU lol - awesome and I really appreciate the response. By the way, your 3-year-old is clearly one awesome little dude

 

[VandVsmama]

Well, like I said a few pages ago, it’s hard to have a life of peace and quiet when you are parading yourself in front of the media for interviews like they have. It’s saying “Pay attention to me! Me! Me! Me!”

I have a hard time feeling bad for either of them when many people everywhere have been out of work for a long time and many have lost loved ones to COVID-19 or are themselves disabled from it.

So yeah...cry me a river, Mr and Ms Fancypants, about how oppressed and hard your lives are, living in your palatial estate in Montecito with staff to take care of everything for you.

Their reply to the queen’s statement about public service was a slap in her face and really rude. They’re acting like the spoiled special snowflakes they are. I hope they pull their heads out of their rear ends sometime soon for the sake of their child.

 

[TLSnell1981]

That's funny, it's like in Toy Story when Andy was opening his presents at his birthday party and someone gave him matching bed sheets. One of the toys was like, "Who invited that kid?"

Yeah, I also wouldn't want to be the person buying the boring old utilitarian gifts while everyone else got the glory of the whiz-bang showstoppers lol. Nice try, mom and dad.

Grandma ESPECIALLY doesn't buy those kinds of gifts. We like to leave a positive and lasting impression. My kids know better.

 

[mamamia2005]

Jeez now I'm worried what poor little Archie must have been eating for breakfast until Great Grandma could send him a waffle maker and have Mummy make him her own recipe (soon to be released in a cookbook, coming to all good book stores and Amazon soon!) organic waffles. Would he have been eating store bought ones? Oh the horror!!

And actually, FWIW, the above is tongue in cheek. I don't think Harry is that stuck up. He was in the army for years, I doubt he had silver service meals handed to him. But Meghan, Yeah I think she could be.

 

[mousefan73]

I need to find my eyeballs as they rolled completely out of my head at that point. He can't just say that Archie likes waffles so they thought that would be a cute gift from the Queen? It has to be Meghan's ORGANIC waffle mix...

Surprised they don’t own their own organic raised chicken housed in a luxury chicken coop. Then they can also stress “locally sourced” eggs were used.

 

[mousefan73]

Di

Grandma ESPECIALLY doesn't buy those kinds of gifts. We like to leave a positive and lasting impression. My kids know better.

Does the queen have a US Amazon account and can simply order and have that shipped to them in the states? From my own experience using a for an Amazon account is a PIA.

I just ask as I am overseas one. Sending packages took months and months since Covid. You can’t just buy a waffle machine in England and ship it to the states because the outlets won’t work.

Where is the queen really like a real grandma and says to Harry hey I’m sending you 50 bucks to your account go by this gift for my grandchild?

 

[Karin1984]

Di

Does the queen have a US Amazon account and can simply order and have that shipped to them in the states? From my own experience using a for an Amazon account is a PIA.

I just ask as I am overseas one. Sending packages took months and months since Covid. You can’t just buy a waffle machine in England and ship it to the states because the outlets won’t work.

Where is the queen really like a real grandma and says to Harry hey I’m sending you 50 bucks to your account go by this gift for my grandchild?

They probably have someone else's account to do it for them.
Last week the last will of Prince Bernard of the Netherlands (Husband to Queen Juliana, the current King's grandparents) was published, and one of the interesting things I didn't know was that the prince had a subscription to Playboy magazine. Only it was in the name of his chauffeur who got it delivered to his house, and handed the copy each time to the Prince. He was rewarded for this service in the will. Although it did say something like 'services rendered' ;-)

I am sure a waffle maker isn't much harder.

 

[TLSnell1981]

My point was a grandmother doesn’t usually gift a one year old with things like a waffle maker. The whole scenario appears to be contrived by H&M ...promoting MM and her amazing waffles NOT about the tot. If A loves waffles sooo much it’s obvious they already had a waffle iron. JMO

 

[ronandannette]

Does the queen have a US Amazon account and can simply order and have that shipped to them in the states? From my own experience using a for an Amazon account is a PIA.

I just ask as I am overseas one. Sending packages took months and months since Covid. You can’t just buy a waffle machine in England and ship it to the states because the outlets won’t work.

Where is the queen really like a real grandma and says to Harry hey I’m sending you 50 bucks to your account go by this gift for my grandchild?

Pretty sure they have people for all of that - on both sides. In fact, the whole scenario of GreatGrandma "asking" what Archie wants and Meghan and Harry "telling" her would require a casual, personal conversation the sort of which probably hasn't taken place very often over the past year. More likely one member of somebody's staff sent an enquiry to somebody else's staff and it was handled that way. I wonder if QEII even knows she gave him a waffle iron?