I have recently heard of this new thing- a push present. And having given birth to 3 babies myself, I was curious.
Go ahead, Google it. I did.
What did I find? Well, basically it is a gift (usually expensive jewelry) "given" to a woman for the sacrifice of having a baby. It is a gift that the women can call their friends and brag to them what they received. It is a gift that men can brag to their friend on what they gave. Sometimes the women actually tell the husband what they want and so they are really shopping for themselves. It is a peer pressure gift.
Hmmmm.
What ever happened to a bouquet of flowers, a hug and a kiss from your husband? What ever happened to being grateful that you are able to have children or that your newborn is healthy? What ever happened to thanking God for the gift of a baby? Whatever happened to "sacrificing" for the love of the your child?
I think that this is one of the most materialistic things that I have ever heard of in our society and to tell you the truth, it really irritates me.
Why would it irritate me so much you ask? Especially when my youngest is almost 12? Well, I will tell you. Our society today is based so much on personal and material instant gratification and keeping up with the "jones". That is exactly what this is. What if a husband buys his wife a "push present" and it isn't exactly what she wants? Does she get mad and make him return it? How selfish would that be?
When you are pregnant, there are no guarantees that your child is going to be born healthy- even if all tests say that they will be. Having a child is a great sacrifice and it does not end with the "pushing". Does this mean that a mom now expects presents for the sacrifice of getting up every 2-3 hours to nurse the baby? or change all those poopy diapers? what about all those sleepless nights because the child is sick? what about all those stained clothes due to that lovely baby spit up? When will this selfish greediness end?
Having a child is a gift in and of itself. Do you selfish women out there get it? THE CHILD IS THE GIFT and you do it out of LOVE! LOVE for God, your Family, and for that CHILD.
As far an my experience goes, the greatest gifts that I received for my babies were the babes themselves. My first daughter died when she was 8 days old and those 8 days were the most precious to me, even though they were in the hospital. I lived there, in that room, for 8 days with my husband and my baby. Should I now be "eligible" for a gift for that sacrifice of carrying a child, giving birth to her, and having her die? No piece of expensive jewelry or anything for that matter would make up for the "sacrifice" of having my daughter or living in the hospital room for 8 days. With her birth I pushed and then had an emergency c-section. Would that mean I get 2 gifts? One for pushing and one for the c-section? When I had my son I had a another c-section. Does that mean that I wouldn't get a push present because I didn't push?
A mother's first Mothers Day is the time to get a gift celebrating being a mother and all the sacrifices that go along with it. Each Mother's Day after that is a celebration of being a mother and all that entails.
I think we need to turn back to God and be thankful for the ability to create a life, to have the opportunity to be able to raise a child, and to have a healthy child.
As you can see I feel very strongly about this. To those that are offended, well, get over yourself.
ok. that is all.
6 comments:
no comments, how interesting. ok gals, have some guts and voice your true feelings too. don't be afraid. DO YOU THINK MARY RECEIVED A PUSH GIFT FROM JOSEPH??? do you think that is why God has given us children to birth and raise? I'm thinking this whole thing must have been started by wealthy, self centered, selfish, non christian women who think only of themselves and have nannies to raise their children. The 'SACRIFICE' IN BECOMING A MOTHER OR FATHER IS REWARDED WITH LOVE. people who think that push gifts are necessary or want them need to grow up and stop thinking of themselves. once you are a parent, you will always be a parent until the day you die and if the love of your husband and child are not enough for you and you need expensive jewelry then in my opinion ,and possibly GOD's, you should think twice about having children.
what an incredibly beautiful post.
with a whopping three weeks and two days under my belt of marriage, i am learning every day about the true meaning of sacrifice out of love...and at this point, I can only imagine that it's truly an extension of that love through children.
and thankfully, that sacrificial love you have continues on for all your children - whether or not they are with us on earth or up in heaven.
thanks for the good reminder, liz.
love you.
I read this post a couple days ago, and needed a few days to really ponder and consider my reaction. I had never heard of this "push present". My initial response was strongly negative. I was disgusted at the concept of it. That a woman would expect a token for producing a child, similar to exchange or substitution of services. Quid pro quo. This for that. My response remains negative. This seems to me another example of the expanding materialism and selfishness of our society. An example of the ever present message of ‘What’s in it for me’. I can’t agree adamantly enough with Liz as to her statement of “What ever happened to being grateful that you are able to have children or that your newborn is healthy?” I recognize also my own bias, and add to that, what about being grateful for the opportunity, VOCATION, to be a mother? I know many AMAZING women who desire more than anything else that they are blessed with the vocation to be a mother. Personally, my greatest hope and dream is that I am blessed with the vocation of wife and mother. I recognize that is part of what evokes my strong reaction to the push present thing. It pisses me off. Be friggin happy and appreciative of the blessing of motherhood. Seriously.
My mom “rented” out her ironing board so she could pay the $7 to bring home here first child. We felt blessed having health care insurance and the money to pay the deductible when we had our first son. My gift was not only my healthy baby but a nursing bra and nightgown. I was on top of the world!
You rock Liz.
Amen Liz! Preach on sister, because you are right on the money with this one! - Lindsay
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