SuZir
Well-Known Member
My difficult child's graduation from high school will be soon. He did very well and this is a huge thing for me after all the school issues he has had. Graduations are big celebrations around here and kids are often given more valuable gifts than for any other occasion during their life. One of the stables for boys is their first dress watch and we are planning that for difficult child. We can either buy him a new watch or give him my grandpa's vintage watch from 30's. The monetary value would be about the same, but the sentimental value of my grandpa's watch is huge to me.
When difficult child was gambling, before he started to steal, he did sell everything of value he had. Even his confirmation cross. (And a fool which he is, he sold it for around 50 dollars, the real value you would get by adding zero to the end. And yes, I was a sucker enough to buy it back, on it's full value. Haven't given it back to difficult child or even told him I bought it back, but plan to give it to him someday in future.) He has been doing well with his recovery, but you can never know. And that watch means world to me.
My grandpa was always my biggest hero and there are no words for how much I adored the man. And the watch was very special for him. He got it for his graduation present from his, more or less, difficult child dad, who had forsaken his first family (my grandpa and his mother) divorced (huge thing at that time) and been total deadbeat dad. It was an only 'I love you, I'm proud of you'- that grandpa got from his dad after he was three. Grandpa wanted my difficult child to get a watch (and for graduation), of course difficult child was still young when grandpa passed away, but certainly a difficult child already. And a watch has an engraving about first born son and grandpa's name. difficult child is named after grandpa. That watch would have so much symbolic meaning given to my difficult child. He also does know that.
husband thinks I'm setting myself up to heartbreak by giving that watch to difficult child. He would prefer me to give it easy child for his graduation. He is right about me being devastated if difficult child sells the watch. It would be very difficult for me to forgive him that. If he breaks it or looses it, that I can live with, but selling it, that would be very tough for me. My best friend asked me which one I love more; difficult child or the watch. While I would probably save difficult child first from the burning building it is a close call
husband also has a point in that difficult child is not a sentimentalist and it is totally possible that he would like more about a new watch from some now popular brand. Grandpa's watch is high quality watch in excellent condition and has been always kept well and maintained regularly like they should be. But for difficult child new, trendy Omega or Tag Heuer could be cooler. On the other hand he knows about grandpa's watch, he knows what it means to me and he knows grandpa wanted him to get it for graduation. Giving him a new watch would be vote of no confidence.
The watch is mine to keep or give, so this is up to me to decide, but I could use some point of views.
When difficult child was gambling, before he started to steal, he did sell everything of value he had. Even his confirmation cross. (And a fool which he is, he sold it for around 50 dollars, the real value you would get by adding zero to the end. And yes, I was a sucker enough to buy it back, on it's full value. Haven't given it back to difficult child or even told him I bought it back, but plan to give it to him someday in future.) He has been doing well with his recovery, but you can never know. And that watch means world to me.
My grandpa was always my biggest hero and there are no words for how much I adored the man. And the watch was very special for him. He got it for his graduation present from his, more or less, difficult child dad, who had forsaken his first family (my grandpa and his mother) divorced (huge thing at that time) and been total deadbeat dad. It was an only 'I love you, I'm proud of you'- that grandpa got from his dad after he was three. Grandpa wanted my difficult child to get a watch (and for graduation), of course difficult child was still young when grandpa passed away, but certainly a difficult child already. And a watch has an engraving about first born son and grandpa's name. difficult child is named after grandpa. That watch would have so much symbolic meaning given to my difficult child. He also does know that.
husband thinks I'm setting myself up to heartbreak by giving that watch to difficult child. He would prefer me to give it easy child for his graduation. He is right about me being devastated if difficult child sells the watch. It would be very difficult for me to forgive him that. If he breaks it or looses it, that I can live with, but selling it, that would be very tough for me. My best friend asked me which one I love more; difficult child or the watch. While I would probably save difficult child first from the burning building it is a close call
husband also has a point in that difficult child is not a sentimentalist and it is totally possible that he would like more about a new watch from some now popular brand. Grandpa's watch is high quality watch in excellent condition and has been always kept well and maintained regularly like they should be. But for difficult child new, trendy Omega or Tag Heuer could be cooler. On the other hand he knows about grandpa's watch, he knows what it means to me and he knows grandpa wanted him to get it for graduation. Giving him a new watch would be vote of no confidence.
The watch is mine to keep or give, so this is up to me to decide, but I could use some point of views.