Gifts for the sibling(s) of a birthday boy/girl?

[Mandi]

We were at my ILs yesterday to celebrate Brayden's 1st and Micayla's 4th birthdays. My MIL got all 3 kids gifts. She felt that Melayna might feel left out if she didn't get her a gift since the other 2 were getting something.

I didn't say anything, but I don't agree with that. IMO Melayna (and the other 2 when it's her birthday) need to learn that they won't always get gifts. Not to mention I think it adds an extra financial burden when you have to be buying extra gifts for all the kids for every birthday. We never got gifts when it was our sibling's birthday and I certainly wasn't scarred by that. I have no intentions of getting Melayna anything to open on the day of Micayla's birthday party. I won't get Micayla anything on Melayna's either.

So do you get the siblings gifts too? If so, why and how long do you plan on doing it? I don't know if my MIL intends to just do it this year or longer. :dunno: I haven't decided if I want to tell her not to do it when it's Melayna's birthday. At this point I'm afraid she may have started something that she won't be able to stop anytime soon. Micayla is old enough now that I am sure she'll remember that her sister got a gift for her birthday and expect the same when Melayna's birthday rolls around in July.

[LISA]

Well, my kids aren't that close in age so I never had to worry about that but my sister has done that before, buying gifts for siblings so they wouldn't feel bad..I alway's thought it was BS! it wasn't her job to make them feel better and it kind of lessened the day for the actual bday kid imo.

[Stacey]

Personally, I'd tell MIL about it. I think I have told people not to do that in the past actually. I can't remember if it was MIL or my grandma. It was some pushover person who didn't want the other kid to feel left out. :rolleyes:

I don't like the practice, and I think that if you don't want it to continue, you or Michael should mention it to MIL.

[Karri]

I would mention it to your MIL, as well. I don't like the practice, either and have tried to put a kibosh on it in the past (my grandmas and my MIL seem to think Aidan will feel left out. I told them that he needs to learn its not his day and he'll get over it).

[Silke]

My mother does that. She did it when my brother and I were little. I don't fully agree with it, but I am not totally against it either since she doesn't go overboard with the sibling gift. Kyle got a few farm animals for Natascha's birthday. They were probably not more than $5. I can't remember when my mother stopped, but maybe when we were around 5 or 6.
If it bothers you, I would talk to her. It's your kids, your rules.

[Bev]

I agree with Karri. Melayna is old enough to know that it is "Brayden's Special Day" and he gets birthday presents and she will get some on her special day when it is her birthday.

I do not agree with that practice at all.

[Brandi]

I don't like it either. I don't think things always have to be equal. My brother always threw a fit when he didn't get something equal to me and my parents always ended up caving. He now can't hold a job or stay in school because people are always out to get him and don't treat him fairly. AND, I think that this practice takes away from the birthday child. It's their special day and I think that the other kids need to respect that. Now, when a baby is born, I usually try to give the older sibling a gift too. I think it's a bit different.

This is just my opinion though. I'm sure it works just fine for some families.

[~LORI~]

I don't noramally give the siblings gifts either. But, the people of my family do. We just had DR's b-day party last night and not only did DR get his presents, but Lindsey got some too. I don't mind it, but I hid Lindsey's and waited until most people had gone home for Lindsey to open her gifts. And most of them weren't over the price of $10. I think it most likely will stop around 5 or 6.

[magoo]

I don't really like it either, but I can see how it would be hard with both siblings getting soemthing, and not her. In that case, I could see getting her something really small, but certainly not something as big as what the others got.

[MrsPeacefrog]

I don't like it!

I have never done it for my kids, I have always told them that its "so and so's" special day and soon it will be there birthday. In the end my kids claim each others stuff as there own anyway :rolleyes:

I don't think its a good message to send a child, that they get something when someone else does... in real life it just doesn't work that way!

[Dennis]

I'm totally against it.

[DarcyT]

I don't agree with it either. If it were a baby shower or new birth type of gathering then it would be more appropriate. But each child has their own birthday each year. Besides, that's why the host makes goodie bags for the other children :nod: or so I thought.