Ask Dr. Helen: Do Husbands Owe Wives Post-Childbirth ‘Push Presents?’
We were too poor to even think about gifts over 30 years ago when my kids were born.
We sold our car to pay for my son’s hospital bill & we were only in the hospital one night!
(Talk about ignorance, having kids without having any money. Licenses should be required to stop such stupidity!)
Many years later, when a friend’s husband gave her nice jewelry on the birth of their kids, I thought it was sooo romantic of him. So did she. I also admired the nice nursery they had the $ for & thought how lovely it must be to have a joyful room like that for a new baby!
Gifts are a celebration. But, it is not usually easy to find the perfect gift, for men or for women.
When a gift is truly thoughtful, it brings joy to both giver & recipient. Price is not the point.
I hope both my son & my daughter will find mates who take joy in expressing love for them, and appreciation & sentimentality, without resentment for the effort that it requires.
Both of them already know the joys of expressing love through words & actions. I feel that I have raised kind offspring, people who will be good & loving partners to someone, someday.
Graciousness in both giving & receiving builds happy memories with friends & family.
The sourness & complaining I see here means some people simply have not learned graciousness…
It probably was not demonstrated to them as they were growing up. They missed out.
