It’s really taboo in most societies for parents and grandparents to have ‘favourite’ kids, but it’s true that sometimes there might be more closeness in one relationship than another, or there might be certain things that really endear you to a certain kid.

And that’s okay, it’s human nature – but as most parents and grandparents know, you try your best not to show it.

However, the mom in this story has noticed that her mother-in-law really hasn’t got the memo.

But when she tried to discuss it with her husband, he got very upset.

Read on to find out what happened next.

AITA when my mother-in-law keeps buying gifts only for my daughter?

I am the mom of two kids: my daughter “K” who is five years old, and my son “B” who is eighteen months.

My husband works in the same city as his parents, and often they’ll give him a present to bring home for our daughter.

Lately this has started to bother me because they NEVER get anything for B.

I mean, he is a baby, but he’d still enjoy bubbles or stickers.

Let’s see how this situation is panning out.

Over the past two weeks, they have sent three gifts to just my daughter. Today it was a full set of paintable ceramic nativity scene.

I told K she needed to pick two of the pieces (out of eight) for B to paint, because they needed to share it. She was totally fine with this.

When my husband got up (he works the graveyard shift) he was excited about the nativity and asked me if K had seen it.

I said “Yes, but this is one of three gifts she’s gotten in the last weeks, and your parents haven’t gotten anything for B. I’m just a little perturbed about it.”

Read on to find out how her husband responded.

He said “Well B doesn’t need anything because he’s just a baby. I’m sure they want to get him something.”

I kind of just brushed that off and walked away. But when we came back from the store my husband had already left for work and the nativity was gone.

I texted him asking if he took it and that I didn’t mean to imply that she couldn’t have it, as we’d already planned for the kids to share it.

He’s now ignoring me and saying I’m in the wrong for telling his mother that she can’t give K gifts.

But there is more than this situation than meets the eye.

Our son was “supposed” to have been named after his dad who is a fifth generation first boy with the same name – but we decided not to name him that.

That was something that we had talked about when dating, and my husband said he wasn’t fond of the name, and we both agreed on and like B’s name. My FIL was very upset.

Moreover, my mother-in-law wasn’t able to have more kids after my husband, and has been obsessed with my daughter from day on.

I’ve had to lay down some firm boundaries because she was signing her up for dance classes, setting up playdates with people I didn’t know, taking her to see Santa for the first time, etc etc.

And this wasn’t the end of the favoritism that her in-laws showed their granddaughter.

When we stopped by over the summer to pick something up, the kids and I stayed in the car. My mother-in-law came to K’s side with a big present and was gushing over her.

When we were about to leave, my husband rolled down the window on B’s side and asked his parents if they wanted to say hi. They said no and walked back in the house.

I don’t think I’m in the wrong for voicing my concerns about them playing favorites. But my husband and in-laws are treating me like I’m the problem.

AITA?

Sure, the gifts might make sense from a logical point of view – the little boy is young and perhaps doesn’t ‘need’ things like their daughter does.

But he should still be considered, and any good grandparent knows that. It’s as important for the daughter to see as it is for the son.

Meanwhile, the obvious favoritism they’re showing toward the little girl, especially during the car incident, is totally unwarranted, and it’s going to lead to a lot of hurt and resentment as the child grows if it’s not nipped in the bud.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit had to say about this.

This person agreed that the mother-in-law needed to cease playing favourites.

While others thought it was weird that the father took away the nativity.

Meanwhile, this Redditor encouraged her to set some firm boundaries.

It’s really unfair that this toddler seems to be less loved by his grandparents either because of his gender, the fact that he was second-born, or as a result of his name.

None of these things are his fault, and it really sucks that he’s being treated like they are.

Meanwhile, the little girl is not being done any favours by being treated this way either, and it could lead to some real problems between the pair, or amongst the family, as the kids are growing up.

Grandma needs to sort herself out.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.