On another board somebody keeps posting about a person in Alaska that buys pink camo. They hate this person, and her orders for pink camo shirts, pants, panties and intimate nightwear. I’m glad I don’t have to see her.:eek:
My former SIL used to buy clothes for my kids, and in what I saw as passive-aggressive behavior, would remove the tags and ‘helpfully’ wash it for me before giving it to them, so there was no way I could return it or exchange it. She never gave me gift receipts, so even if it genuinely was the wrong size, I couldn’t exchange it. She would give them clothes that both my kids deemed ‘babyish.’ When my daughter was 9 or 10, she was still getting cutsey little smocked dresses with a Peter Pan collar and that were really short. Perfect for a 2-year-old, but on a 10-year old? Just weird. She’s been giving my son those nylon track suits for a couple of years and he hates them. She’s also been giving him those mix-and-match Garanimals-type outfits, which he also hates.
OTOH, there’s my step-mother. She’s been buying clothes for my kids and my sister’s kids all along, and they’re always perfect. Just what the kids want, the right style, always the right size and the kids always love it. A couple of times, they’ve run off instantly to change into the new clothes.
FWIW, my 12-year-old son wears camo stuff quite a bit, along with a variety of Marine Corps themed t-shirts. Yes, he wants to be a Marine when he grows up. As long as it’s clean and neat, I figure it’s one of those pick-your-battles things. He dresses appropriately for church and other events, so I don’t let it bother me.
I was going to say, I see quite a few young women in the probably 21-35 age group wearing Pink, Blue, or Grey Camouflage (there’s a “U” in the word, folks!) pants; usually faily close fitting. The women wearing it often tend to be “Active” or “Yummy Mummy” types, IME.
I don’t recall seeing kids in it much here, FWIW.
One of my sisters does this on occasion. Either she will tell me that my sons “need” to wear a particular color or style or (once) she will buy them clothes to wear to an occasion.
She is a photographer of some talent and uses family gatherings as an opportunity to take pictures of this generation of cousins all together. (Since we live on another continent the opportunity doesn’t come up spontaneously.)
And she doesn’t like to have them come for an appointment to take their picture as she says kids freeze their faces up as soon as their mothers say the word “picture”.
I do not complain as the pictures are invariably terrific.
Does your aunt have any children or grandchildren? It sounds as though the kids involved are quite young, and there is this amnesia thing which seems to happen even to people who have had their own kids…I remember my mother asserting that none of the six of us ever cried for no reason as toddlers and I nearly dropped my jaw as I had vivid auditory recall of my youngest brother’s early childhood (he is sixteen years younger than I am). But she really appeared to believe it. This gives me hope as I look forward to claiming that my children were all potty trained by two and did what I told them to do and so on, and actually being able to believe that.
I’m pretty sure that’s one of her goals. Which is why I think it would’ve been appropriate to include my SON, my daughter’s TWIN BROTHER, in the dress-up aspect. His plain red shirt and camouflage pants don’t match the girls’ pink velour princess dresses and brown pants in any way - theme, texture, color.
/slight aside
I vividly recall the morning I took both kids to the Farmer’s Market and they both happened to be wearing new shoes that they’d picked out. Hers were pink cowgirl boots, and at least 8 people - strangers - stopped to compliment her on them. On the way back to the car, my son said to me, very quietly, “No one liked my shoes.” 
It still makes me tear up. It’s hard, being the twin brother of a little girl.
Isn’t it great, how families have the capacity / opportunity / tendency to drive us bananas on so many levels? 
Yes, having the girls wear the exact same exceedingly pink dress for a 5-minute photo isn’t really a big whoop-de-doo in the grand scheme of things. I don’t quite get it, but perhaps someday when I have grandchildren I’ll understand the desire to dress them up like little dolls.
Yes, Marienee her son only recently married and she doesn’t have any biological grandchildren. Her husband’s kids have kids and she dotes on (and complains about) them. Nothing’s ever quite right in her life.
So, yes, I will dress the children as I planned, and bring the pepto-pink princess dress for a photograph as per my Aunt’s request. And I’ll also include my son’s knightly cape and crown, since it matches the royal theme.
My daughter does like the pink dress, she’s worn it a couple of times already. The pants are too big. My son hasn’t worn either item, claims they itch.
It seems to me that if there’s going to be an “aw, aren’t they cute” photo moment, it should include all 3 of the 4-yr-olds. Not just the girls. If being matchy-matchy is important, why wasn’t he included? His is so different, it clashes.
I was aiming for coordinated, as opposed to being bookends. So I thought if the kids had an element in common (the houndstooth print) and my husband and I included the same colors (black and white and red) we’d look nice as a group.
If we ALL wore houndstooth, I think that would look bizarre and be totally hilarious in 20 years.
Yep, you’re right - I sure did sell out 2 years ago. I bought bedding with some of the money and used the rest for some other things related to them (can’t remember what now, might’ve gone toward the $4,000 in doctor bills we had that year related to my daughter’s asthma).
And I discussed the expenditures with my Aunt.
What’s changed in the time since then, and particularly the past year, is I have LOTS of mom-friends now. The kids and I spend a lot of time with other women and their children. So I no longer take my Aunt’s criticisms and judgments seriously.
I know, I know; it’s just an amusing thought, because the undercurrent to all of her judgments and criticisms and gasps (she freaked the day my daughter made mention of her urethra, and objected vociferously when my son’s mindless babbling sounded to her like “frigging”) is that I’m not a fit parent. So if that’s to be my role, I might as well have fun with it. 
But while that works on a sitcom, in real life, not so much; plus I respect my business too much to use it in that way.
And yes, I’ve been extricating myself and the kids from ALL of her conditional gifts. Which includes her gift of herself.
In fact, the last time we spoke she started railing about “terrible” behavior on the part of the other 4-yr-old in the family and I objected. Actually I laughed, which really set her off, but the whole thing was so silly.
And I pointed out to her that when she lets go of the idea that SHE knows how EVERYONE SHOULD behave, she’ll be a much happier person.
Her reaction was to hang up on me.
(I forgot to include that part)
Awesome! The Aussies have such better slang than we do. Who needs MILFs when there are Yummy Mummies around?
Back to the OP. I’d second what Manda JO wrote waay back up near the top. Although Fessies’s latest post pretty well puts the kibosh on innocent clueless vice mean-spirited cluless.
I’d also add something that I don’t think anyone else has mentioned. How old is the Aunt? That kind of behavior is quite typical for people who are now in their mid 70s or older. Why? because it was how they were raised, and it seems polite to them, no matter how impolite it seems to somebody more modern, i.e. younger.
She’s 58, so not quite dotty. But definitely of a different culture - I think to her, anything “Disney” is blessed with magic corporate mojo instead of being slightly tainted, as many younger mothers feel.
I remember once when she objected to my overuse of chicken nuggets (which I’ll agree is not ideal).
She was going to make them a GOOD lunch. Okey-dokey.
So she opened up a big-ass can of Chef Boyardee Ravioli. :p:D
Which the kids refused to eat.
Yup, but it’s often softer colors than what the military and hunters wear. This sims 2 outfit I made is based on a real toddler outfit sold at JC Pennys. Over 500 people have downloaded it, so it must seem normal to people.
That’s so sad! And it’s true, people do treat little boys less kindly than little girls often - they want them to be “tough” and all that crap. I bet it would really set some people back to think of a little boy getting sad because he was ignored while his sister got heaps of compliments, because he’s not “supposed” to feel that way - it’s just for girls
Good on you for sticking up for your son! Maybe your auntie will get a clue at some point.
I was thinking about the bedding thing last night. I can’t imagine spending FIVE HUNDRED dollars on bedding for two kids. Last time I got quilt sets for the girls they were $22 each, and they love them! (one dragon theme, one undersea scene). Admittedly, I’m cheap. If I got that much money and had to spend it on bedding only I’d be way pissed off (I’m glad she ultimately let you spend the excess on something useful)
$500 on clothes, on the other hand, I’d be hitting Pumpkin Patch like a force of nature. Woot!
ETA: Also, is there anyhting in this universe less likely than four year olds getting embarrassed about the state of their bedding fercryingoutloud? Come on auntie! Clue time!
This broke my heart. Poor little guy! Next time, point out to the complimentors that he got new shoes, too, and aren’t they manly and cool! He needs to get fawned over sometimes, too. Is he quieter than your daughter? Might that be why your aunt sort of glosses right over him? Or is she just into princesses?
LOL, fessie! It sounds like you have everything well under control. Just keep doing what you’re doing.
We have an issue in our family that’s somewhat related. My niece (the one no one likes) sends her kids over in brand new clothes. It’s not uncommon to open up their overnight cases and find everything with tags still attached. She will match up everything, too. The underwear must match the socks must match the clothes. However, she seems to not remember that Minnesota has seasons and that children PLAY.
This past July 4th she packed fuzzy footed pajamas, sweatshirts, and jeans but no shorts or little pajamas. At Christmas they came over in dresses without tights and dress shoes, but no boots. They have a hike to their car and it was freaking cold.
When the girls come over to my house they play. Outside. In the grass or snow. She had a tizz because they were dirty. At 5 and 8 they’re supposed to be grungy, not sit inside and watch TV all day.
I guess I’m at the point where I won’t buy clothes for them anymore. My mom tried to help them out by buying boots, but the niece didn’t like where they were bought. Well, hell, at least they now have boots. I’ve bought shirts that she deemed poor quality, so now they stay at my house.
However, I would never demand they wear clothes I purchase, nor would I princess one out and snub the other. I have used the “Must wash first, will send you a picture” reason more than a few times when someone bought TheKid something hideous.
No, he’s not quieter than his sister – my Aunt raised one son, so I’d imagine that’s why she’s gone gaga over girls clothes at this point.
We all immediately remarked on his shoes that day (I hadn’t even noticed that he was being ignored, :smack:) but of course the damage was done.
So when we got home, I pulled out People magazine and showed him that girls’ clothes just usually get a lot more attention.
Meantime, my daughter has noticed and complained that the superheroes are mostly men!
But kids are resilient – I was thumbing through that People magazine later that evening, kids climbing all over me, when I came to a picture of Britney Spears and KFed (this was during their divorce/custody brouhaha).
“Stop!” my son ordered. “Jus stop dere. Waitaminute.” Absolutely transfixed by Britney. So I tore out the page (explaining that ONLY MOMMY was allowed to tear magazines) and gave it to him. He very carefully folded it in half, eliminating KFed, held the picture of Britney to his tummy and said “I go bed now.”
Three-and-a-half years old. :D:p
Is that like when the guys here say “I’ll be in my bunk”?? :eek:
(sorry couldn’t help myself :smack:)
I think it was just a hilarious coincidence of phrasing and gesture - he has no real clue about sexuality in the adult sense of the word, of course, so the inference is entirely ours. It was night time, and he took Britney’s picture to his room.
Oh, no - the boy’s definitely got a clue. And he knows what he likes. You would not have been thrilled if he’d folded Brittney out of the picture and took it to bed. No, the only thing you have to worry about now is that he might troll trailer parks for your future daughter-in-law!! :eek:
If you’re not a houndstooth fan, you’d be well advised to stay away from Tuscaloosa, AL. It’s Bear Bryant’s signature wear, and everything is houndstooth now. Baseball caps, wool coats, purses. You name it, it comes in houndstooth and people wear it.