Parents do some pretty nutty things sometimes. And hey, how you choose to raise your kid is your business. But when your outlandish parenting styles start to affect other people, that’s when you should take a step back and touch some grass. Case in point: Parents hosting a birthday for their kid are asking other parents to also bring presents for the siblings of the birthday kid. I’m sorry, what?
If you haven’t heard of this trend already, you will now — most likely because Kylie Kelce (wife of former NFL player Jason Kelce) brought it up on her podcast “Not Gonna Lie.”
“Our family knows no one else is receiving a birthday present for Bennett’s birthday,” Kylie, who has three kids of her own, said. “When your siblings get presents for your birthday, it reduces your birthday. It’s not their birthday, it’s your birthday.”
Kylie continued to talk about how much she hated this trend. And honestly? I’m in complete agreement. But where exactly did this totally wacko idea even come from?
Why Are Parents Expecting Presents For The Birthday Kid’s Siblings?
@crazychrissstyAm I wrong?♬ original sound – Christy
This has been an ongoing trend for a while, but it gained a lot of attention when a mom on TikTok posted an invite her 6-year-old son received for a birthday party for one of his friends.
On the invite, the parents requested that all guests bring gifts for the birthday boy and his 3-year-old brother. Why? “So that he didn’t feel left out.”
Now, I care deeply about kids’ feelings — but let’s be fucking for real. First, it is absurd to expect someone to bring a gift for anyone aside from the birthday kid at their birthday party. People are not made of money, and also, it’s just plain ridiculous. By feeding into behavior like this, you’re essentially coddling your kid.
Listen, feeling left out and jealous? These are totally normal human emotions that your 3-year-old kid is going to feel time and time again over the course of their entire life. Making everyone else around them cater to their feelings rather than doing what a parent should do and helping them acknowledge and process those emotions isn’t just doing them a disservice; it’s most likely propelling them further into a sense of entitlement — AKA you’re raising a future asshole.
Now, I can’t stop you from raising an awful kid (if I could, most of the men I’ve dated wouldn’t exist). But if you’re going to go ahead and baby your kid regardless of the potential consequences, at least do it yourself. Asking parents of your kids’ friends to feed into your bullshit is not only inconsiderate, it’s just plain stupid. And I wouldn’t be surprised if no one shows up to your kid’s birthday party because of it — but hey, at least your 3-year-old really won’t feel left out then.
