DEAR MISS MANNERS: My two daughters (ages 23 and 34) are beautiful and talented women. They work hard and usually make me proud — except on their birthdays.
For the past several years, on their respective birthdays, they each put up links on social media to their money apps and ask people to send them birthday “gifts.” I find it in poor taste, and it embarrasses me. Am I overreacting? Is this normal, acceptable behavior these days?
GENTLE READER: Normal? Yes. Acceptable? No.
As their parent, you have the obligation, in Miss Manners’ opinion, to tell them that you find this embarrassing. When they inevitably plead that “everyone does it,” you maintain that that argument did not hold water when they were 11, and it does not now.
If you do not get ahead of this, they will go on to do far worse for other milestones (housewarmings, engagement parties, weddings) where this kind of begging is considered even more “normal.” And as a possible host or co-host of these events, your own involvement is more direct — and therefore even more embarrassing.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
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