How can I buy decent clothes for my grandchildren without offending them?

Question

My grand children really need new clothes and my daughter can't or won't buy them decent outfits. When I buy them clothes instead of presents the children get mad. I am not rich but I would rather see them dress nicely then get some toy they will just break or lose after a short time. any ideas

Answer 1

i went thru this with my stepdaughters and their children, too.
i finally told them (stepdaughters) that they need to clothe their children or i'll call child protective services and have them taken away. with the way things are in my area, there are very few emergency agencies to take care of them so they try to get the family involved. they know i'd take the babies and that's the LAST thing they want because the kids love me and want to be with me. (anything to make everyone involved as miserable as possible)
it worked. i know i'm a super B, thank you.

Answer 2

What kind of children get mad at getting a gift? Perhaps instead, you should just not get them a gift until they understand how to show appreciation.

When you say "decent" do you mean clean/neat or not slutty? Or both? Just curious.

If you insist on getting these ingrates gifts, perhaps you could take them shopping with you and treat them to lunch and spend the day together? Then you can both pick out decent outfits together, that may make them happier.

Answer 3

Plan a Saturday when you can give your daughter a break. Take the children to shopping for clothes with a promise that if they cooperate, you'll take them to a kid-friendly lunch after wards. Actually taking them to the store to shop for clothes will give you control of the situation and still allow them some freedom to choose too.

Answer 4

Gram it's a generational thing, what we as people over 45 consider as 'decent' clothing, younger people like your daughter and your grandkids consider uncool.

Maybe your solution is to take them shopping without their mother, if you're close enough and you and the kids come to some kind of compromise that 'll satisfy you both.

Otherwise give em savings bonds that won't come due for awhile .... that'll make em real mad, but they'll have money with interest later.

Answer 5

It depends on the age of the child. I don't want my grandma dressing me because what she thinks is nice and appropriate, I would call grandma clothes and would get made fun of at school . Kids have their own style these days and people that are older don't realize that that's probably the style. If they are dressed in riped, stained, or just worn out clothing i would take them to out to the mall and let them pick some outfits out. But, let them be the judge on whats nice or its probably just going to sit in their closet collecting dust.

Answer 6

Don't give them clothes. You have a choice other than clothes they won't like or toys that won't do anything for them. Talk to them as much as you can, and get them...books.

Answer 7

politely tell your daughter, that you would like to give her some gift cards to ( any store depending on how old they are) for clothes, without the kids even knowing.

Answer 8

you need to communicate on your community Goodwill of Salvation military thrift save approximately procuring a number of their shipments until now they flow onto the floor. i'm not sure how that could artwork with the pricing although.

Answer 9

get them gift cards to stores where there's only nice clothing, then they *have* to buy clothes or just not use it.

Answer 10

Maybe by taking them for lunch and maybe some shopping...