Displeased

Today I had quite the unfortunate experience dealing with one of the daily deal sites. They didn't screw up my order, or run out of what I was hoping to buy, they made a really disappointing comment about who are children are supposed to be.

Let's backtrack. My cousin runs a blog of her own, she documents her daily life as a mom of children 13 months apart. She just finished up her sons birthday and is now preparing for her daughters. She goes on to explain how birthday parties are starting to get a bit out of control(at the parents doing) and how she realized she needs to calm it down next year.

I really related to the post seeing as Eliza's birthday, though it was small, was such a stresser for me. She had to have the perfect cake(I seriously got a quote for a cake that was $150), decorations, and a theme that was perfect. It wasn't her perfect party, it was mine.

When I saw my cousin post a link on her blog Facebook page, I was in shock as to what it said. It was a link back to the Mamabargains Facebook page that had a deal for over the top birthday decorations. OK fine, to each their own and I probably would have looked into it if it was near Eliza's birthday, but the caption to the picture is what blew my mind. It said something about buying these decorations so you don't end up "doing the limbo like a loser".

WAIT!!! So you are trying to tell me that my daughter needs to think she is a LOSER if we don't have an over the top party like this?? If we do regular party games, with streamers and balloons she is a LOSER??

In a day and age where there is already so much pressure put on children by their friends and peers do we really need it put on them(or even us as parents who want our children to be liked) by companies?
 To top it off, I commented on their post and expressed that I did not appreciate the way they worded that. That our children need to be built up, not brought down, by who they are. Here was their response

"Mamabargains Ha ha! Hey, we can read public shares... FYI. ;) We love to be sarcastic over here. I actually love to limbo. It was just a funny alliteration.". 

The public shares was referring to my cousin's blog sharing the link and me posting my disgust on it. I can't believe that was their response. First off, almost bullying me about the fact that they saw my post, and second playing down being a "loser" as a funny alliteration. I wrote back, that isn't funny.


A few minutes later they took down the picture and the caption(I am trying to have Mark use his handy computer skills to find it for me). 


I am glad they took it down, that was the right thing to do. An apology would have been a much better response, something like "I am sorry if that offended you, we meant it as a joke but could see how it is offensive". Instead I was bullied about sharing it. 


I know Eliza wouldn't see that post, and most kids wouldn't either, but in a society that puts so much pressure on being cool and popular, we need to be advocates for our kids and ourselves.