Blatant Favoritism at holidays

[CotterpinDoozer]

My friends ex blatantly favors their son. Last year he got his son the PS4 and game bundle. He got his daughter a 25 dollar gift card to Dunkin Donuts. She’s diabetic, so they’re pretty sure that was a regift. He got fussed at by my friend and his parents. He said he would make things more even next time.

This year, he got his son a moped, and got her a subscription to a magazine she doesn’t even read. Yeah, so much for making things more even. And he wonders why his daughter doesn’t want to visit him.

[Anonymous 6]

I think I would tell her, "If you aren't going to allow the children to keep the gifts I've given them, going forward, I won't be bringing them gifts." And since I wouldn't be able to sit by and watch the chaos in this woman's home, I'd do as you did and leave early. And I wouldn't be spending time with her next Christmas.

As for her kids and gifts...Rather than giving them gifts, I'd start giving them experiences with me. That's something that she can't take away.

Anyone else deal with seeing this behavior from extended family?
My niece, their mom - wow...smh.....really shows her anger to her oldest, while the younger one is coddled, and can get away with murder -- ...opening presents xmas - older one opens his gift from me, and the mother snatched it out his hands within a minute to give it to the younger sib and tells him it's more sand for HIS bucket - UM, i didn't buy that for the 5yr old. I got the 5yr old something else....

The rest of the time i was there, the mom yelling at the older boy most of the time, while the 5yr old ran around like a total nut, opening things that didn't belong to him, and mom did nothing - no consequences for not listening to her. Imo, mom should have put things away out of sight she didn't want opened, as her living room literally looked like a huge toy store. The kids have everything they could possibly want. I find it sad she isn't teaching them to give back to our community, and to think of less fortunate.

I left early so as not to listen to it anymore.

[Anonymous 7]

If you don't speak up, you lose the right to complain.