I get along get with my MIL, however she does do certain things that REALLY annoy me.
Her favourite one is to buy every child a present on another child's birthday. It really bugs me because i think a birthday is a special day, one that doesn't need to be 'fair'. I'm the youngest of 7 and i know that mum and dad certainly couldn't have afforded to buy each of us a present 7 times a year, as well as at Christmas. It's not even a 'token' pressie, but one the same value as the birthday kids! It drives me crazy!!! I've asked her several times not to do it, that my boys need to learn how to help others celebrate without receiving anything themselves, but she just ignores me. I've also asked DH to talk to her but it's hard to bring up in normal conversation and he doesn't want to cause a scene at a party.
Her other grandchildren are now 6 and 4, and they're starting to get upset by it. You could see our nephew thinking "But it's my birthday" last year, and i'm sure a tantrum is on it's way this august when he turns 7. I don't blame the poor kid! I'd throw a wobbly too!
She's also constantly buying them things, which is starting to bug me too. I don't want my boys to look forward to visiting gradma because they get things, spending time playing with her should be enough!
It's also annoying because my mum has 17 g/children (new nephew last night - Hunter Cain)and can't afford to do the same! Instead of buying them things, she looks after the boys one day a week while i go to work, and as far as i'm concerned, that's much more valuable than presents! She plays with them, reads to them, basically spends all day getting to know them. As she says, "I wont be around forever, i want them to remember me". She also looked after my nieces, and still watches my nephews one day a week. She's always there to babysit, and even better, when she does come to our place to watch the boys, she washes, cleans, vacuums, irons, even cooks dinner some nights!
I want my boys to know the value of people for who they are, not what they can give you!
Sorry for the long b!^^h, but #1's 2nd b/day is only two months away!
Dette, DS 06.03, DS 10.04, DD 03.06 & Due Sept 07!