My Mom bought a Christmas present I know my son won't like!

[TupperMom7]

My son is 10 and will turn 11 right before Christmas. He has never liked action figures, never played with Batman, Power Rangers, etc. He liked magnetixs and legos, things to build and put together, airplanes and remote control cars.

So yesterday my Mom tells me that she asked my sister to take her to Walmart to get some toys for her great grandchildren and she bought my son a present too - a Transformer. Now I know my son will not like that. He will be disappointed and will ask me why Grandma got him that and will even suggest it was a mistake or ask if we can return it.

My Mom usually asks me for suggestions on what to get the kids, or I take her to the store or pick up an item or two for her. What possessed her to buy an action figure when all these years he has never liked them? What's he going to do with the thing?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Who cares why she bought it. Point is you found out about it ahead of time so you can call up mom and tell her to return it.

 

[TimeforMe]

You're serious?

 

[Magic Mom]

So gently tell her that you don't think he will play with it and you don't want her to be disappointed that he doesn't and offer her some equivalently priced alternatives. Or just let it go and explain to DS that "It's the thought that counts."
Is she on a fixed income? If so, she may have found it on sale and thought it was a good deal.

 

[diznygirl]

You never know - he could possibly like it. I've been surprised before by my kids.

Just let it go - I'm guessing it won't be the only thing your son gets at Christmas so no chance he will be deprived of toys that he will like.

 

[beattyfamily]

If someone in my family bought something I know my kids wouldn't like I'd grin and bear it and tell my kids to do the same. It IS the thought that counts.

IF you are close enough to your mom to nicely let her know without hurting her feelings or cause problems then go for it.

My kids get things they don't want or that they don't play with anymore all the time but they just smile and say 'thanks so much". My sisters still think they are into princesses even though they are 10 and 13.

 

[Tinijocaro]

Yea-my SIL think my girls are into Hannah Montana and High School Musical, when both dd's gag at the thought of them! We now have a nice mug set-2 of each from Christmas. They just smiled and said thank you.

Sounds like since your mom usually asks you what he would like and this year she didn't, she is more interested in getting her list "done" than in getting the "right " gifts. I've been there on occasion.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

What a perfect opportunity to teach your son about giving and receiving- and how to be gracious even if the gift is not exactly what he has hoped for.

 

[bballmom56]

Great opportunity to teach your son about being gracious when receiving gifts he may not like. You can start the conversation now when it isn't the Christmas season yet. It will probably happen many more times in his life. Use it as a learning experience.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I don't know--but every kid should learn how to accept the distasteful pink bunny suit for Christmas.

If your son asks why--use it as a moment to share the spirit of gift giving. This is a great grandmother we are talking about. He should accept the gift graciously.


That's my $.02.

 

[bballmom56]

What a perfect opportunity to teach your son about giving and receiving- and how to be gracious even if the gift is not exactly what he has hoped for.

Boy were we on the same wavelength - same vocab. and all!

 

[Magic Mom]

One year when DS was 12, my Aunt (who had a drinking problem at the time) gave him a used ladies wallet. The large checkbook style wallet. It was faux, burgandy snakeskin with a broken zipper and it still had some old crumpled paper in it. I think she must have stole it from a homeless person. When he opened it(she wasn't there), he just sat there for a second staring at it and then said, "Awesome." His expression was so funny. He was trying really hard to be polite. We all had a great laugh over it.

 

[Tinijocaro]

 

[Nancy]

What a perfect opportunity to teach your son about giving and receiving- and how to be gracious even if the gift is not exactly what he has hoped for.

exactly...over the years my MIL has bought my girls some hideous things. Usually things geared for kids way younger than them..and clothes that no one would wear...but were bought because they were on clearance. My girls were taught at a very young age to always thank you for the gifts with a smile.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

What a perfect opportunity to teach your son about giving and receiving- and how to be gracious even if the gift is not exactly what he has hoped for.

If your son (op) would really react to his grandma's face the way you said he would, sounds like he needs that teaching experience!

My mom buys stuff like that for my kids all the time. My son is almost 11 also and she still sends dinosaur stickers in the mail. I tell her they came in and thank you and the kids know to say the same and then they can do what they want with the stuff. I wish she wouldn't spend the money but she's trying to buy what she can and at the least she is sending them something.

 

[Angelhalo]

What a perfect opportunity to teach your son about giving and receiving- and how to be gracious even if the gift is not exactly what he has hoped for.

This is exactly what I was thinking. By fretting you are teaching him that gifts are more about what you're getting and less about the fact that the giver thought of you. Teach him that he can return it and get something he likes better that he needs to be gracious and thankful when the gift is received

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just wanted to say, I am coming from my perspective as far as talking to mom.

My mom would be sad if I knew that she was giving a gift that was totally off base. She would want me to say something.

As far as teaching my kids how to accept things graciously, they have that down to a science.

 

[MrsPete]

Christmas is already overly commercialized. Don't make it worse by worrying about whether your son will love this one gift. Whether he loves it or hates it, this shouldn't be a make-or-break thing.

 

[MosMom]

I think he needs to hear the standard ungrateful child response that I heard a few times growing up. "There are starving children in China...say THANK YOU and SMILE."

 

[GJM]

My DS has received gifts he hasn't liked or wouldn't be interested in. He knows to say Thank you and not say anything negative about the gift.

Donate it to Toys for Tots the next year -

I always tell my DS how some kids don't get anything for Christmas. Our school does an Angel Tree every year and we pick a name do something like that with the gift.