just need to vent

[sdraper1]

My nephew is in town visiting his Dad (my brother in law), well last night he asked if I could watch him today while at work, so I did.
I took him out to breakfast, swimming, to get a snow cone and lunch. I was then asked to keep him another night, so took him to dinner and my husband took him to get ice cream... I've not heard one thank you, instead I've heard "are you going to take me to target to get me a toy while I'm here?"
Um no, I just spent $40 on you today.

My son is out of town visiting his grandparents, he says thank you after everything. Plus doesn't whine when things do not go according to plan.

I'm sure I'm annoyed cause I'm pregnant and miss my little guy, but seriously, how can you not be annoyed with no thank you

[sdraper1]

Not to mention my husband is mad at me that I'm annoyed.
I'm sorry but I need a break from a kid who is so opposite of mine

[hutch2996]

Oh i know, my step daughter is like that! She has days where she thinks everything is suppose to be handed to her, she doesn't have to do anything to earn anything and i honsetly believe on the days she is like this that polite words like thank you please your welcome etc are no where to be found in her vocabulary!

[hutch2996]

It annoys me and makes me pi$$ed some times when me and her father take her and do tons of things with her spend money on her then she wants more and gets upset and acts like a toddler (she is 10) when we tell her no

[sdraper1]

Exactly! He is 9, my son is 8, he never whines, if something doesn't work out he goes with the flow.
My nephew and I were suppose to go to a splash pad today, and it was crowded so I took him to the pool, he has not stopped asking when I'll take him to the splash pad

[sdraper1]

I think I'd be more annoyed if it was my step child!

[bbm1188]

I worked with many kids over the years, I worked in childcare for 5+ years. When I encountered a kid like your describing I would sing that song,"you cant always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need"lol made them mad but they would realize to stop bothering me cause I wasnt going to give in. I would be mad to, he sounds ungrateful and I would be annoyed. Some kids, you give and give, they just take take take expecting more. Make them earn it.

[bbm1188]

And sounds like you did a Good job with your child more parents need to be like you lol your doing it right.

[mommabear27]

Yup, I would be annoyed, it costs nothign to have manners, and kids need to be taught manners by their parents, to learn how to say please, thank you, etc etc etc.    Before my son was born I used to regularly babysit my babys dads little cousin, he is lovely (he is 12) but he is at that smart age where he doesn't say please, thank you to his mum or anything but when he is with me and my babys dad, he is so polite its unreal, prob cause he knows we won't do anything for / with him unless he has manners.    I plan on teaching my son manners and I'm making sure that he knows they are important x

[hutch2996]

I am so glad to see so many comments about how kids should know manners and parents willing to teach their kids manners. I know it does not matter where we live but i live by Detroit and manners have completely been lost with people around here, it makes me sick! I really wish more parents would teach manners this world would be a little better

[RockRose]

sdraper,  good that you're teaching your kids to say automatically say thank you to adults - that will make him an appreciated guest.

From this boy's perspective,  though,  he's in town to visit his Dad (so his parents aren't together,  in fact,  his dad doesn't even live in his town) and then the dad proceeds to go to work all day and pawn him off on you.  

And then,  his dad ditched him again.  

Although you're trying to make this fun for him,  honestly,  it can't be all that fun.  He probably misses his mom and his friends,  and feels a bit rejected.

Hope the dad tries harder to work his calendar a little more around his son.

[RockRose]

In thinking about this again,  my guess is you're not that upset he hasn't said thank you,  you're rightfully upset because this was probably time you wanted to yourself and your husband.  Your son is away,  and you had probably been looking forward to adult time you could spend anyway you wanted.

Instead,  your brother in law has dumped his 9 year old on you to entertain.

If you were having a good time with these activities,  I would guess you wouldn't have noticed he didn't say "thank you".  When I used to take my little ones out for a day of fun,  we all had a blast and so no one would say "thank you".   We just enjoyed it.  

The fact that you really don't want to be doing this (and I don't blame you) makes you notice and be irritated at getting no gratitude.

[sdraper1]

Honestly, it's not his dads fault, he gets last minute notice of when he is coming to visit, and this year they did bad planning because my son who he normally spends time with is out of state.
I honestly think it's because I'm pregnant, not use to children acting that way, and just missing my son, I miss the car conversations my son and I have about history, math, and trying to learn more, not asking "if you could have this or this what would it be" or adding theword dork to other words.
My son has been gone 4 weeks by far the longest time away from us.
I think if the day would have started off right we would have had a better day, because his complaining would have been less annoying.

[richchica]

I say kids will be kids, I still have to remind my 8 yr old sometimes to say thank you.
Besides if u do something for someone and u are always expecting something back, even if it's a thank you. Than don't do it at all, we do things out of kindness from the heart not to get something back....
Just saying...

[sdraper1]

I think it's more everything we did and not one thank you, and then to add his complaining and asking for more.
I've taught my son to say thank you even to his day care teacher every day after we do pick up, I feel manners is a lost art. My sons best friend always says thank you  even if it's just for a glass of water. I think I've been spoiled with my son and his friend. We take his friend every where and still to this day he says thank you