Thank Goodness! The Courts Decide That Children Can’t Sue Their Parents For Crappy Birthday Cards

Score one for down-to-earth parenting! Two children from Chicago had a lawsuit against their mother dismissed by the courts last week. The 20 and 23 siblings sued their mother for sending birthday cards that they didn’t like. Even worse, the cards didn’t have cash in them!

The case seems to be a little more involved than spoiled brats suing their mother. The kids grew up with up in a million dollar home with their father, who just happens to be an attorney. They chose to sue their mother, with the help of their father, for sending insufficient gifts, care packages and cash. It’s easy to be furious with their entitled and ungrateful young adults, but they obviously grew up believing that they deserved material gains simply for existing.

The kids’ father defended the lawsuit by saying,

The case is no different from a patient suing a physician “for bad doctoring.”

The children “do not view their (lawsuit) as an attack on mothering, but rather on accountability. Everyone makes mistakes, but ”¦ there must be accountability for actions. Parenting is no different.”

 I’m still struggling to see the mistakes here. Every family’s situation is complex, but the main complaints of the lawsuit honestly seem to be lack of birthday presents and care packages at college. Sure, not getting a birthday present is pretty harsh, but its not cruel parenting. It’s not neglect. It’s a gift.

Sure, I buy my daughter presents and toys, but I don’t think that makes me a good mother. Reading her books at night, playing outside with her, telling her how much I love her… these are things that make me a mother. If I never bought her another toy, I think that I could still be a successful parent. These aren’t the basis of this lawsuit. This lawsuit says, “My mom didn’t spend enough money on me and it caused me emotional distress.” The judge was right to throw it out.

Real parenting doesn’t have a price tag. The worst parent in this scenario wasn’t the woman who sent a simple card for her son’s birthday or dared to make her daughter leave a party at midnight. The truly terrible parent who probably did irreparable damage to these kids is their father who encouraged and supported a juvenile and immature lawsuit to hurt and humiliate their mother. I wonder who will hold him accountable?

 

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