Everyone has favorites. A favorite book, shirt, or ice cream flavor (mine is mint chocolate chip). Some people even have favorite family members. Most, however, are savvy enough to never vocalize it for fear of hurting someone's feelings.
My MIL, however, is curiously lacking such a sensitivity chip!
My MIL has three grandchildren: two from her son and me (a darling 3 year old princess and a 1 year old bulldozer) and one adorable 3 month old son from my sister-in-law and her husband. Instead of simply being wrapped up in the gloriousness of having such beautiful and healthy grandchildren, she blatantly picks favorites.
To my MIL there are no greater beings on earth than my three year old and my sister-in-law's newborn. Both are showered with extravagant gifts at Christmas, Easter, and Birthdays. Sometimes they receive gifts simply because the sky is blue - truly for no reason at all.
My sweet one year old son, however, gets next to nothing even on special days.
For example, my daughter received gifts in excess of $200 for her birthday. We had asked them to simply donate money to charity in her name, but she was nonetheless showered with gifts. Meanwhile, my darling little boy received only a pair of stocks and a book for his first birthday! And truly, socks and a book would be just fine if it were not for the obvious extravagance bestowed upon the other grandchildren!
When my MIL calls to "check in" she will talk to my daughter for 30-40 minutes, or ask about her ten times a conversation, but she won't even mention my son's name. When my husband or I post pictures of the kids on Facebook, she comments only on the pictures of our daughter, clicking my the pictures of our son without comment. When other family members ask my MIL about our son, she has been known to say "Oh right, I have two grandsons" even though my son is older than my nephew!
Her blatant favoritism causes a lot of pain for my husband and me, but it has recently become a problem for our daughter as well. At only three years old, even she is beginning to take note. Just yesterday she asked "Why does Grandma love me more than ***insert brother's name***?"
Heartbreaking.
Note to my future MIL self: Do not vocalize and blatantly show favorites when it comes to grandchildren! It will hurt you children, their spouses, and your grandchildren. Certainly there is enough love to go around!!
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Submitted by GONEBATTY.
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Submitted by GONEBATTY.
