Despite pleas from my Elder Daughter I refuse to give either her or her daughter money or gift tokens. I like to put a bit of effort into the pressy buying, it is my way of showing that I care and somehow stuffing a couple of twenties into their card does not seem the same as a well considered gift.
OK I may well shop on the internet but I still put effort into it.
My boys want a Wii between them. I just know that if I get them one the THW will be on it morning, noon and night which will lead to fights and arguments.
She (THW) has also reached that stage of doing "what has he spent on me and what has he spent on them" comparisons. Last Christmas she waited until well into the New Year before throwing that one at her mother in an argument ~ leading me to point out the flaw in her maths. All three get the same amount spent on them. Her idea was that I spent more on the boys than I had on her, a conclusion that she came to by adding her idea of the cost of all of their presents together and comparing it with how much I had spent on her. The fact that there are two of them seemed to have escaped her attention. Sharp words were spoken on the subject of ingratitude and the likely non appearance of presents bearing her name in the future.
We have already had a ruck about my allowing Minor to invest his birthday money from various rellies in a bicycle, something I have never bought her. That she cannot ride a bike, has never suggested that she should buy one for herself and has not, as he has done having got his bike, gone off and taken his cycling proficiency badge with the Cubs does not register with her.
