Are dads still like that? The young dads I know are pretty involved in their children's lives
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Plot twist, Dad believes in Santa to this day because he knows he didn't buy the presents.
In my defense, while my wife shopped and wrapped I was on toddler wrangling duty XD
My dad earned the money, my mom spent it. That worked for them, there were no complaints.
OTH, they were born during the Great Depression, and were both very frugal. Neither of them liked to spend money. As the fourth of four kids, most of my clothes and toys were hand-me-downs, and my mom made my clothes until I hit puberty, as well as making most of her own clothes her whole life. I don't have any complaints either. Both of my parents loved their kids unconditionally, I grew up in a warm, and mostly happy family.
Wow, lot of shitting on this guy... You know it just works for some families. Doesn't make dad a deadbeat if he's doing other stuff.
I mean, Dad was watching the kids while Mom did the shopping? sounds like a functional and healthy family to me.
No offense taken, as a dad.
My wife LOVES shopping for the kids and finding deals. I love helping the kids figure out what they want, and translating it to my wife.
It's a partnership.
My wife is unemployed and loves doing gift stuff including wrapping. Even constantly asking if I want them to wrap their gifts for themself lol. I think some folks just see this without having loved it and assume it's bad. The reality is couples split their chores. My wife doesn't help me with yard work, even while unemployed, does it make them a deadbeat? No. That's just not how we split the chores.
Dad worked. One day in the lean years he was on the books for 5 employers at the same time: no overlapping shifts, just a hairy schedule on a paper calendar and more than one job-to-job commute.
We do not castigate dad for devoting his entire life to the household.
Mom, who merely had one full-timer, did the shopping and wrapping on the side. The two of them set up a wonderful Christmas day together with very few gifts and resources, and we were all together on Christmas morn before Dad went to work.
It worked. We didn't lack for joy.
My wife enjoys Christmas shopping, wrapping and decorating. I do not. I am happy to offer opinions and thoughts when she asks for them. I am happy to cook, clean, work and entertain. It works and honestly, if I forget what's under the tree it feels like a vicarious adventure for me. I see no reason to believe that there's anything wrong with making Christmas work.
I buy throughout the year whenever I see something I know they will like. By Christmas, I forget what I've bought and wrapped.
This year, I asked my girlfriend if she will want something and tell her I'll hold onto it until Christmas. Buy it with her, and then by the time she gets it, she's forgotten. I did that with a bracelet that said "Mom" on it during the summer, that I would put her daughters name as the from so that she gets something from her daughter. I always try to buy something to be "from" her daughter. It is really nice for her daughter too, to have that experience "giving" something on Christmas too.
I sat with her daughter the other night making bracelets for her to give out at our family Christmas party and the first one we made was for her to give to her biological Dad when she goes with him in a few days.
How do you avoid accidentally buying the same thing twice?
I'd like to virtual cheers all of the men out there who bought thoughtful gifts and made someone happy this season. Merry Christmas!
ALERT: THIS IS SANTA DENIER CONSPIRACY PROPAGANDA!! SANTA CLAUS PUT THE PRESENTS THERE, NOT THE MOTHER
That was me this year. I had no idea my wife had been buying so much stuff.
And she likes to keep it that way.
Yeah, she likes it, of course. My idea of Christmas shopping is watching the Aisle of Shame in Aldi, and when I see something interesting, I buy a few for gifts. If you need stockings stuffed, I'm your guy.
I saw a mop with the spinner bucket at my local Aldi and bought it as a gift for my sister
I've heard good things about this third-party vacuum software if your into that sort of thing: https://valetudo.cloud/
Uhh I'm the one that fills the stockings so I get to act surprised by the shit I put in there 3 hours prior. Would be neat if someone else ever put something in mine, but not happened yet.
I bought and wrapped presents that I'd forgotten what they were. Christmas was a wild one this year for me.
He knows how much it cost though
What’s the point of being married/having kids with someone if they’re useless? They didn’t buy anyone presents, they didn’t get the house prepared for the holiday, they didn’t cook the meal.
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