The politics of gift giving for children has gone a bit mad, after a book was rejected for not being a good enough present for a six-year-old.
Writer Liz Dashwood sent her son, Thomas, to a party with a wrapped-up book for his little friend, Marco.
But when Dashwood handed the gift to Marco’s mother it was rejected.
“She took it in one hand and gave it back to me in the other, saying, ‘Marco doesn’t really like books – anything else would be fine.’ And sort of gestured in the general direction of the shops,” Dashwood writes in an article for The Pool.
Need some shopping ideas for those hateful kids in your life? Post continues after video.
After experiencing the rude reaction to the gift, Dashwood said she started questioning her choice.
She started thinking: “Really, who am I to be dictating what her approach to books – or child-rearing – should be?
“What kind of dickhead gives an ‘improving’ gift? Why shouldn’t he have 30 lumps of tat for his birthday, if that’s what he wants?”
The British writer dug deep and began questioning the idea that books improve people’s lives but then held firm and hid the “improvement” gift on the present table.
“I give books.”
When this story was discussed in the Mamamia office this morning, many of us admitted we too give books – even to children.
Top Comments
Okay, just EVERYBODY here needs a tune up.
1. REJECTING A GIFT IS RUUUUUDE! Especially if it's not even a gift for you specifically. That's just... rude.
2. Giving a Two-year-old a book?! Come on! hey can't even read yet! Books aren't as "improving" as people say. Don't get me wrong. If it's an older child and they ask for a book, by all means, give a book. But little kids need to be able to play, too.
And 3. If somebody is told "no", is it ever appropriate to do it anyway? The mother clearly said that her child doesn't care for books and rejected the gift. While it was very rude of her to do so, hiding the book on the gift table only made things worse. There's a chance you might not be invited to that house again. Don't mess with anybody's means of child-rearing. You will get hurt.
Huh? 2 year olds are sponges! Of course they can need, love & appreciate the magic of books & story telling!!! Part of play is imagination- the very thing that makes books so magical!
Hats are another good "improvement" gift. I've been giving trendy/ brand / funny hats for gifts for a while and often get messages from parents saying how much they appreciate them over toys.