When does one stop being the "baby" of the family?
 

I have 2 older sisters. We are each one year apart. I will be 48 in December. I admit my sisters earn a lot more than I do. But I like my job and it pays the few bills I have.
I love my sisters but I swear if they don't stop buying me stuff I will put myself up for adoption to another family. I came home from work yesterday to find that my sisters had sent me a 42 inch flat screen TV. I didn't need one and I really didn't want one because it takes up a lot of space. Add to this the expensive queen size bed(they also bought one for my BF at the time), the computer, the groceries and gifts from Omaha Steaks as well as cash, all un-asked for and in most case I told them NOT to send these things.
Does anyone else have this problem? And yes, I do consider it a problem.

I think you should send them a note saying, "Thanks for the giant TV. I didn't have room for it, so I sold it on E-bay for $200." Then they would stop sending you expensive things.

Maybe they want you to watch more sport and "straighten out"?

Check to see if they will get refunded if you return the TV, and then just return it.

Did I mention we're Jewish? Returning a gift would result in many months of guilt enforcement, followed by apologies and more gifts.
Also, returming the TV would cost a lot. And it weighs a ton.

I could give you my shipping address if that will help solve the problem for you... ;)

It's fun to send gifts, and it makes them happy, so I wouldn't try to stop that. Let them pamper you if they must.

You might try asking them to spend less, though. Tell you you appreciate their thoughtfulness, but that the costs of the gifts makes you uncomfortable. if they must send you gifts, ask that they be lower cost gifts, or that you are consulted with for anything over X dollars.

oh, and the answer to your question is: as soon as you acquire a younger sibling. Is that likely to happen anytime soon? :)

A simple solution would be for your sisters to adopt me and send me the 42 inch TV set. I am Jewish and can handle the guilt.;)

Seriously, I still have one or two relatives who still try to call me 'Richie'. Now I know that it is not technically a childish name (ask Richie Havens) but it was a nickname that I thought I outgrew.

Some relationships are defined early on and continue pretty much forever. Older sisters will always be older sisters, even when they're 99 and you're 98.

Open a savings account and give them the number. Or I can give them mine - I'm willing to help you out on this.
Or you might want to give them suggestions since they are determined to give you something: a favorite charity or cause, or gift certificates for grocery stores or restaurants that you can donate to those in need.

I think those are good ideas, Sweetwater, but -- I don't think they'll fly. Giving money or a donation on someone's behalf is absolutely not the same as giving them a bed or a tv they think will be used by the recipient. It's a different kind of giving feeling, and I suspect not the kind the older sisters are craving.

I guess part of the problem, Sheldon, is you feel you are being condescended to, or like you are receiving charity. As both the baby of my family, and a heartfelt giver to my kids, I understand both viewpoints.

I think about the only thing you can hope to do is redirect their efforts. Make it as clear as you can what things you do want--even if that "stuff" is actually stuff that someone else you know or the charity you work for really needs. Electronics could go to the children's ward of a hospital, food could go to homeless shelters... If you really want to drive the message home, forward any thank-you letters you get.

As my 12 year old would say "cry me a river, build a bridge and get over it"!

I'll pay the freight if you want to send it to me. I can never have enough giant TVs.

Dude, they love you. Sometimes, people have a limited way of showing it. Just be thankful that you have that love.

PS - "Queer As Folk" is *awesome* in hi-def. Hell, toilet paper commercials are awesome in hi-def.

I agree with Cloud. Maybe its hurting your pride a little that your wealthy sisters are sending gifts you could not afford for yourself? Plus, it makes it difficult to reciprocate in kind - thanks for the gazillion inch TV. Here's an afgan I crocheted for you.

It sounds like your sisters have kind hearts and want to make you happy. That's not such a bad thing.

Send a thank you note including a pic of you watching a dvd on the new tv. one of those dvds. ;) In fact, make the note like a postcard and mail it to them at their places of work.

My two aunties still talk about my mum like she's their baby sister. I am also the baby of my family.

My sisters are very kind, loving pains in the ass. :-) And it doesn't bother me that I can't buy them gifts in kind. They know I love them and I know they love me. But I want them to use the money on themselves. BTW, it's not just me. They also buy and do tons of things for my nephew. Maybe moreso since he and his wife live in NJ too. Maybe being in AZ keeps me from getting even more over-gifted.

BTW pt.2 Gay porn is AMAZING on a big screen! lol!!!

They obviously think you're struggling in poverty....


.... because you can't afford to come visit them enough!!!:lol2:

Could your family adopt me?

Sheldon, you never stop being "The Baby" of the family.

I'm the youngest of 8.
I'm 37, and the oldest is 68.
I'm still "the kid".

There's 2 of them. They've had 48 years to practice what they do. It's in their culture. It's in their nature. You are the baby until your parents have another child.
You don't stand a chance - you won't be able to change them. You might be able to suggest things you would like (but then again maybe not).
The only thing you can definitely change in this scenario is yourself - just accept that's the way your sisters show their love for family.

I was there for a week in May...SO THERE!!!!!

May? MAY? Oy, that was so far back it's ancient history. After all they've done you you... but never mind... just go on having a good time. Don't give a thought to your family that's done so much for you. Yes go, don't give a thought to the ones that nurtured you, made you chicken soup, changed your diaper, sat up with you when you were sick...




:haha:

My brother stopped being my little brother by being more successful than I was (okay, so it's not hard).

Financially he's more successful than my sister too - although it's a draw with them as she has children and drives a car, so socially he's down.

I suggest you accept this as the challenge it is, get off your butt and go make more money!

You have my sisters confused with someone elses' sisters. MY sisters are the ones who poured vanilla extract on my sandwiches for school lunch, threw glass bottles at my head when we fought and called me "fucking faggot" and "Shelley" when we were kids.

might they be making up in their own way?

Oh, those sisters. Keep the TV and casually mention it could be bigger. :D

Nah. This is pretty much how my family has always been. They just take it to a new level.

it's possible they are giving you this stuff A) cuz they like ya, but B) they've had significant money for quite some time and really can't buy any more crap for themselves but they get joy from shopping. They see something and think, "sheldon doesn't have that! I can give it to him!"

they get the joy of buying it. you get the joy of receiving it. except in this case you don't want it.

Enough serious discussion. When's my free TV going to arrive? :D

So...you've hooked it up, and now see the advantage in having the ability to see a 12" penis that is pretty much life size on your TV?

I could never shake it till I made 5 times the money any of them made. Sutch is life. I am the youngest of 5. My oldest bro turns 60 next week.

You're lucky Sheldon. Enjoy it and be thankful. Plenty of people don't have a family to care for them, let alone give then presents just because they feel like it.

Very lucky man.

Or maybe they are expecting me to change their depends when the time comes. hahaha!

More like 3/4 scale. :-)

Maybe they are, and if you love them as you say you do, I reckon you'd do it just because it needed doing...although maybe it'd also be your chance to let them stew in it to get them back for all the nasty pranks during childhood. ;)

Lucky for me my nephew lives in NJ and he's a Nurse. :-)

Lay the giant TV flat on the floor.
Play DVD of gay orgy porn on TV.
Cover self and partner(s) of your choice in oil.
Writhe naked on screen of TV with partner(s).
Film this. Send video to sisters as a thank you note for their latest present... "I always love the creative sex-toys you keep sending me."
If they survive the shock, they might stop sending you stuff. Or they might start sending you even more disturbing things. Maybe you'll like that.

Nah. Did that last year with the portable TV for the Christmas cards. ;)

You can't see it but I'm pinching the bridge of my nose and saying "Unnh".

I hate to be the one to tell you you are lucky when you are not. Consider:My MIL and her late sister have this, habit is too soft a word, burning raison d'etre to buy things which rightfully should be thrown in a landfill from tag sales or street vendors or church rummage sales and then stuff shopping bags full of this shit and send them home with my wife or bring them with them on visits.

Once, they had shipped a carton the size of a small fridge to our house claiming it was full of really expensive china from a friend "who only bought really good things" When it arrived we spent about an hour and a half unwrapping the mummified-in-bubble-wrap china to discover it was a hodge podge of ceramic and glass shit, nonoe of which matched or was in any way noteworthy or remarkable. We now had an enormous plie of shit to take to the transfer station and PAY to have thrown away.

I estimate we've spent about $50. to throw dispose of the precious items they've sent our way. The last straw was a mini cuisinart which was missing some crucial parts. MIL tried to fob it off on us for over six months! Every visit (During the school year we'd see her almost every week) I would refuse and the next time she'd be at it again as if it were a DIFFERENT cuisinart than the last time!!! One time we were heading home and we stopped for groceries on the way and I opened the trunk of the car and saw the fucking thing sitting there. I took the bag out of the trunk and placed it next to the trash can at the grocery store. The best part is that my wife never noticed it wasn't in the trunk and my MIL has never asked about it when she visits. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?

Thankfully when my MIL's sister passed away the trash gifting slowed down quite a bit. I think they were in competetion in a strange way. I once saw MIL's sister stop for a long time considering taking someone's wedding album out of the trash by the side of the street...

So, 42" tv? as Zippyt said to me: Oh rub some dirt on it and get back in there Nancy !!

Older sisters' sinister motive; Youngest gets stuck burying older sibs. I'm the youngest of seven. I've already planted three.

Your usertitle is disturbingly appropriate.

I'm the youngest of three. My brother is 35, my sister is 32, and I'm 26. Still the baby, no matter what the age. I've decided that no matter how old you are, just as long as there's someone else around that's older than you, you're either the baby, or referred to as a 'kid'....

Well this "kid" has been getting mail from AARP for 2 years. I can join in 1.5 years! lol!!!