Too Competitive? Baby Shower - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Family Ties Forever! · 06-08-2008, 02:24 AM

I went to a baby shower for a friend who is about a week away from having her baby. She's having her baby on the 16th. The baby shower lasted 5 hours. That seems like a long time for a shower, though it was the first time I've been to a baby shower.

I was shocked to see just how competitive some of the people there were. They were actually cheating on one of the word scramble games. All the games were pencil and paper games. I felt really left out because I couldn't see well enough to participate in the written games. I was able to participate in one game. I asked nicely, but no one would help me with the paper games. Some of the people were fighting each other over the gifts. My mother came toward the end of the shower and said the gifts they were fighting over were dollar store type gifts and that it was really silly the way they were acting. She told me this when we were driving home.

There was one game that wasn't pen and paper. Everyone had to guess the size of the mother-to-be's stomach. They had to guess with ribbin by determining how much was needed. It got so heated to the point that when the person who turned out to be the closest on guessing the size of her stomach was a 2 year old boy. He will turn three in Sept. One person exclaimed that he didn't count. His mother said that he in fact did count and that she deserved to get the gift. I felt bad for him. He was a cute little toddler who ended up in the middle of a dumb argument. He spent most of the time playing with a Rubix Cube. He kept showing me the cube.

My friend who is nine months pregnant was so tired by the end of the shower. She finally opened gifts and was so tired that she was actually starting to fall asleep and a few people got upset with her. I think they were expecting too much from her. She was tired, uncomfortable because of the pregnancy and with the one game of measuring her stomach they kept having her stand up to see if the different ribbionis would fit her. It would have made more sense to just measure her once and then use that instead of having her stand. She has cerebral palsey so it's hard for her to stand to begin with.

Are baby showers usually that chaotic and competitive?

InspectorExstead · 06-08-2008, 06:14 AM

ay. people being competitive over silly gifts? i know some people are just very competitive in nature, and i can relate, but still...
i've only been to one baby shower & it was nothing like that. one of my co-workers last year was having a baby so everyone from work came and some of her friends & family. but we all laughed and had a good time. we played a lot of games, but it was more about trying hard to make everyone laugh then it was about getting the gift.
that sucks that they expected so much out of the mom to be. she's pregnant and has every right to be tired!

AB · 06-08-2008, 01:50 PM

Wow, I can't believe how badly those people were acting. All the baby showers I've ever been to, including my own were not like that. As for the prizes they give out, we always gave them to the mother-to-be, because they were usually things for the baby. Its "Her Shower" after all.

TJL · 06-08-2008, 02:05 PM

That is just sad.

Janice · 06-08-2008, 06:35 PM

That's disgraceful. The fact that nobody wanted to help you makes me want to punch someone in the face, lol. Really though. I hate when people act like ingrates. Sorry you had to go though that, Jenny.

Ireneparalegal · 06-08-2008, 07:00 PM

Wow! Jenny that is terrible. Those are the kind of people I can imagine will create drama anywhere.

I have never attended any event (showers, birthdays, etc.) and dealt with that kind of behavior. Sorry you had to deal with that.

*ClassicPinUp* · 06-08-2008, 07:41 PM

Any baby shower I've ever been to was always fun, calm, friendly and everyone had a nice time. Those women need some serious help...and maybe a drink to help them relax!
I'm sorry you had to go through that! At least the little boy was there (and acting more grown up than the grown ups)

Ireneparalegal · 06-08-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *ClassicPinUp*

Those women need some serious help...and maybe a drink to help them relax!

So true.

Thanks for that laugh. I needed it.

Hollow · 06-08-2008, 10:04 PM

oh geez. i'd be hurt if people behaved that way at my baby shower. they're not supposed to be there for self-gain.

Ireneparalegal · 06-08-2008, 10:11 PM

Reading that story again made me think of that show BRIDEZILLAS.

OH Nuts! · 06-09-2008, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Family Ties Forever!

I went to a baby shower for a friend who is about a week away from having her baby. She's having her baby on the 16th. The baby shower lasted 5 hours. That seems like a long time for a shower, though it was the first time I've been to a baby shower.

I was shocked to see just how competitive some of the people there were. They were actually cheating on one of the word scramble games. All the games were pencil and paper games. I felt really left out because I couldn't see well enough to participate in the written games. I was able to participate in one game. I asked nicely, but no one would help me with the paper games. Some of the people were fighting each other over the gifts. My mother came toward the end of the shower and said the gifts they were fighting over were dollar store type gifts and that it was really silly the way they were acting. She told me this when we were driving home.

There was one game that wasn't pen and paper. Everyone had to guess the size of the mother-to-be's stomach. They had to guess with ribbin by determining how much was needed. It got so heated to the point that when the person who turned out to be the closest on guessing the size of her stomach was a 2 year old boy. He will turn three in Sept. One person exclaimed that he didn't count. His mother said that he in fact did count and that she deserved to get the gift. I felt bad for him. He was a cute little toddler who ended up in the middle of a dumb argument. He spent most of the time playing with a Rubix Cube. He kept showing me the cube.

My friend who is nine months pregnant was so tired by the end of the shower. She finally opened gifts and was so tired that she was actually starting to fall asleep and a few people got upset with her. I think they were expecting too much from her. She was tired, uncomfortable because of the pregnancy and with the one game of measuring her stomach they kept having her stand up to see if the different ribbionis would fit her. It would have made more sense to just measure her once and then use that instead of having her stand. She has cerebral palsey so it's hard for her to stand to begin with.

Are baby showers usually that chaotic and competitive?

Yecch! What creepy and CRUDE people. Sorry you had to go through that! I've only been to showers at work, and everyone there was SUPER NICE. (I'm really lucky I work on a great floor)

06-08-2008, 02:24 AM	#1
Family Ties Forever! Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Apr 16, 2002 Location: Keaton residence Posts: 10,214	Too Competitive? Baby Shower I went to a baby shower for a friend who is about a week away from having her baby. She's having her baby on the 16th. The baby shower lasted 5 hours. That seems like a long time for a shower, though it was the first time I've been to a baby shower. I was shocked to see just how competitive some of the people there were. They were actually cheating on one of the word scramble games. All the games were pencil and paper games. I felt really left out because I couldn't see well enough to participate in the written games. I was able to participate in one game. I asked nicely, but no one would help me with the paper games. Some of the people were fighting each other over the gifts. My mother came toward the end of the shower and said the gifts they were fighting over were dollar store type gifts and that it was really silly the way they were acting. She told me this when we were driving home. There was one game that wasn't pen and paper. Everyone had to guess the size of the mother-to-be's stomach. They had to guess with ribbin by determining how much was needed. It got so heated to the point that when the person who turned out to be the closest on guessing the size of her stomach was a 2 year old boy. He will turn three in Sept. One person exclaimed that he didn't count. His mother said that he in fact did count and that she deserved to get the gift. I felt bad for him. He was a cute little toddler who ended up in the middle of a dumb argument. He spent most of the time playing with a Rubix Cube. He kept showing me the cube. My friend who is nine months pregnant was so tired by the end of the shower. She finally opened gifts and was so tired that she was actually starting to fall asleep and a few people got upset with her. I think they were expecting too much from her. She was tired, uncomfortable because of the pregnancy and with the one game of measuring her stomach they kept having her stand up to see if the different ribbionis would fit her. It would have made more sense to just measure her once and then use that instead of having her stand. She has cerebral palsey so it's hard for her to stand to begin with. Are baby showers usually that chaotic and competitive?
	__________________ Jenny Last edited by Family Ties Forever!; 06-08-2008 at 08:18 PM.

06-08-2008, 06:14 AM	#2
InspectorExstead Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Oct 29, 2001 Location: The Golden State Posts: 12,902	ay. people being competitive over silly gifts? i know some people are just very competitive in nature, and i can relate, but still... i've only been to one baby shower & it was nothing like that. one of my co-workers last year was having a baby so everyone from work came and some of her friends & family. but we all laughed and had a good time. we played a lot of games, but it was more about trying hard to make everyone laugh then it was about getting the gift. that sucks that they expected so much out of the mom to be. she's pregnant and has every right to be tired!
	__________________ They killed my sister because she asked: "Where is my vote?" http://sosiran.com/ http://tapeshhd.com/index.php

06-08-2008, 02:05 PM	#4
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	That is just sad.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

06-08-2008, 07:00 PM	#6
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Wow! Jenny that is terrible. Those are the kind of people I can imagine will create drama anywhere. I have never attended any event (showers, birthdays, etc.) and dealt with that kind of behavior. Sorry you had to deal with that.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

06-08-2008, 07:41 PM	#7
ClassicPinUp ***** Senior Member** Join Date: Oct 28, 2006 Posts: 2,246	Any baby shower I've ever been to was always fun, calm, friendly and everyone had a nice time. Those women need some serious help...and maybe a drink to help them relax! I'm sorry you had to go through that! At least the little boy was there (and acting more grown up than the grown ups)
	__________________ Imy firefighter!

06-08-2008, 01:50 PM	#3
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,428	Wow, I can't believe how badly those people were acting. All the baby showers I've ever been to, including my own were not like that. As for the prizes they give out, we always gave them to the mother-to-be, because they were usually things for the baby. Its "Her Shower" after all.

06-08-2008, 06:35 PM	#5
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	That's disgraceful. The fact that nobody wanted to help you makes me want to punch someone in the face, lol. Really though. I hate when people act like ingrates. Sorry you had to go though that, Jenny.

06-08-2008, 10:04 PM	#9
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	oh geez. i'd be hurt if people behaved that way at my baby shower. they're not supposed to be there for self-gain.

06-08-2008, 10:11 PM	#10
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	Reading that story again made me think of that show BRIDEZILLAS.