Weekend Rantage #1 -- Odd Parental Decisions

[kybearfuzz]

Last night I had my weekly phone call with my mom. Among the ups and down of gloom, doom and sunshine she throws at me, she informed me that my twin and his young son were at Wally-World the other day. While walking through the aisle, my nephew saw a dorm fridge. He told his dad that he wanted it. My twin thought this was so cute that he bought it for him. When he got it home, my nephew went to the kitchen fridge, got his juice boxes, and put them in his own private fridge now humming away in his room.

"Isn't that cute?" Mom said.

"Mom, you mean that Joe bought him an $70 dorm fridge for his room? Mom, he's only four years old," I replied in a bit of astonishment.

"Oh I know, but Joe just thought it was so cute," she responded.

"Yeah... cute..," I replied, "I can't wait until he asks for a car when he's ten."

Now I've been chastised by some for casting my parental opinions before, even by my mom, especially since I'm both single AND gay. However, I'd like to think I'm entitled to an objective opinion despite the fact I've not bred. To me, the twin is caving to unrealistic demands of a child. Does he need his own personal fridge?? No, so why waste the money I'm always hearing he doesn't have. It's Joe's only kid, and he's obviously still under the new parent spell, wanting to do everything that makes his child happy. However, he needs to start using the word "No" as I fear he's slowly creating a spoiled monster.

And no, I don't think it's all that cute.

Comments

[snowboardjoe.livejournal.com]

A fridge at 4 y/o is not cute. Wait until he spill juice all over the place in his room. Or he leaves the fridge open it defrosts and water is everywhere. Then it will not be cute. What a waste of electricity too. Wow.

Don't worry. They will both learn their lesson the hard way down the road. :)

[madknits.livejournal.com]

With a four year old, a parent is usually well past the new parent spell. The child is going to become a terror. Alas, there is not much you can do about it.

Well, you could go and have kids of your own and raise them the way you think they should be raised. But that's a bit drastic, no?

[dewittar.livejournal.com]

Why oh why oh why oh

That's just nuts

The culture of the child is alive and thriving in your twin's house

And the rest of us will have to pay for it

...

[dorisduke.livejournal.com]

Of course I have no idea how life is handled in your brothers home on the over all. But with this I see nothing wrong if other things are evened out.

[itzgid.livejournal.com]

I agree that it seems a little over the top, and I also agree that you are entitled to voice an opinion on child rearing -- if mom says you're unqualified because you haven't spawned, feel free to remind her that she wasn't qualified when your eldest sibling was born. Of course, the fact that you're entitled to voice an opinion does not mean that anyone else is obliged to listen -- even if your opinion is that Aunt Mae's hair-do is way too close to the ceiling fan.