What? Why not, that's the American way. Judge other people's kids, cars, houses, clothes, jobs, taste in music, and everything else. :lol:

Ahh you're just jaded since you've got three.:p:

Great ideas foot. Have him do those menial jobs you just don't have the time for. Watch out, there is a partner in training there. :)

I would say OK, then buy whatever is a reasonable gift.

Since he wants so much army things, on the birthday party he'll ask why, etc...

Answer : a good soldier never refuse a direct order, that's insubordination... but he has the right not to act on a stupid one.

And if he is so fond of army, perhaps 2 weeks in a real hard boot camp will do the trick.

Boot camp for 5 year olds?

We call it "home schooling" :eek: (and he's six and 10/11ths)

My Dad's childhood was apparently terrifying, as I mentioned elsewhere (probably in his memorial thread) When he was 17 he pulled out a bad tooth with a pair of pliers so the recruiter would accept him for the draft in WWII rather than face his mom witha bad report card. He said Boot Camp was like a vacation and he never met a DI who was half as scary as his mother.

More later

Goodness, let me tell you -- when my daughter was that age, did she ever know how to push buttons in an attempt to manipulate. Come to think of it, she still does, but it's easier now (at 14!!! easier than 6!!!) because she knows she won't always get her way and we're onto her BS tactics. Doesn't stop her from trying.

My daughter would have absolutely done something like that over a toy she wanted. One time she played the "you don't love me so I'm gonna kill myself" card, and it made me so angry I think I freaked her out more than she freaked me out. :) We had some fun go-rounds back then - and there were times I thought there was something wrong with her emotionally, that we had a totally dysfunctional family. But guess what? It's totally normal to feel like things are really screwed up, sometimes.

It's hard, but it'll be okay.

And if it's any help, we had a few lines we trotted out whenever the materialism monster threatened. Yes, other kids have more stuff, but aren't you lucky to have parents who find other ways to show you how much we love you? For some parents, that's all they know how to do. And if you had everything you wanted, what would you have to wish for? And, since I was a stay-at-home mom (still am) I told them that sure, we could buy them more stuff but then I'd have to go back to work and get you a sitter, and what would you rather have?

But I'm certainly no expert! All I can say is that my two (12 and 14) seem pretty happy and well-adjusted, at least at the moment.