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Santa Shop

skye22's picture

Submitted by skye22 on Thu, 12/14/2006 - 1:50pm

About a month ago we recieved a letter from ss mom that they were having a Santa shop at school. She said 'timmy' was doing chores around the house to earn money to buy his family members Christmas presents. She said that she gave the teacher a list that had in her words, exactly, "both sides of his family listed." We thought that was so nice of her to share with us since most of the time she really keeps us in the dark. Well ss came to our house on Tuesday night. We asked how school was and he said "I bought Christmas presents for my family today at school today, but my mom didn't put you on my list, so I didn't get you anything." I told him that it didn't matter to me as long as he would watch "the Grintch" with me later that night. I asked him if he had gotten his Dad anything and again he said no, not on the list... I told him not to worry that I would take him this weekend to get his dad a really cool present. I was fuming inside. We even sent home chore money from our house for him to use for the school christams sale. WHy would she go out of her way to tell us about it and basically lie..... It just doesn't make sense.

Comments

Dawn-Moderator's picture

Submitted by Dawn-Moderator on Thu, 12/14/2006 - 2:21pm

My stepson's mom did that to us one year too. She got the information and told us that SHE was doing it. The only difference was she said that if we wanted gifts, we would have to get our own info from the school. She wasn't including us. So my husband and I said fine. We just won't do it this year as we take stepson shopping for each other anyway. So stepson came back to our house after she told us this and I assumed that she sent in everything (money, list, etc.) to school. Well, we came to find out the night before, that she forgot to send anything in and we had to wing it just so stepson could participate with his class and not feel left out!
To me, the gift isn't as important as stepson getting to participate with the rest of his class.

Dawn

skye22's picture

Submitted by skye22 on Thu, 12/14/2006 - 2:47pm

I agree with you Dawn. I did my best to make him feel good about the situation. I just really wish that this woman would stop being so petty.

Dawn-Moderator's picture

Submitted by Dawn-Moderator on Thu, 12/14/2006 - 2:56pm

She could use a little Christmas spirit!!!! I guess we had better not hold our breath!!
You did good by helping him not feel bad about not getting a gift for his dad. Good for you!

Dawn

Candice's picture

Submitted by Candice on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 1:50pm

even though there are times I want to pull my hair out over bm's decision making, one thing I can truly compliment her on is that she is awesome about is giving gifts. She buys gifts not necessarily from ss to my son, but just a gift for my son, and we do the same thing for her other son. We send a small gift to her house for Christmas.

I really think it is nice to be able to do that. I love Christmastime b/c to me it is a gift to give. My ss also loves to give gifts to his family, and he isn't told he has to forget about giving me a gift. I love the fact that he doesn't have to make choices about gift giving, and when it comes to Christmas...he can just be a kid! I am truly grateful for that.

You did the right thing skye22 by just letting know your ss was still loved, and you didn't display your frustration to him, but kept that in private (that is hard to do sometimes). I bet he was torn inside and that is awful for a child to be put in that position. He will feel really good when you take him shopping so that he has a chance to give from his heart:)

And Dawn...I just have to say you are an awesome stepmother...you are constantly picking up the pieces of bm's trail for your ss so that he isn't feeling left out. You are a real saint. I hope your ss will appreciate you sooner than mine.