I'm guessing the parents who took the kids lai sees were expats because they don't celebrate Chinese new years.
Just like how Jews don't celebrate Christmas, and Christians don't celebrate Halloween.
must say that we are ones that take the money from the kids... not to spend on tvs and phones, but in order that (1) it doesn't get lost or accidentally thrown away and (2) to ensure it goes into the kids piggy banks.
christians don't celebrate halloween??? really? not where i come from... it is a massively big deal and EVERYONE celebrates it.
let's see...last august, my son asked if he could remove $50 in order to buy a toy at toys'r'us.
my response:
sure. but $50 at toys'r'us in hk will only get you 1 toy. grandma is coming after xmas from canada. that same $ could buy you 2 or 3 toys in canada. so, you have a choice: you can spend $50 now and get 1 toy or send the $ to grandma and when she comes she'll bring you 2-3 toys for the same money.
he decided to wait. he sent $150 CAD to grandma and a list. grandma is arriving 6 days from today with an entire box of toys for son and one for daughter. these were mostly bought with the kids' own money.
also: if sonny finishes his homework every night, on friday he can take $20 from his piggy bank to spend on a treat at school.
what else goes into the piggy bank? every A on his report card earns him $10. toothfairy money (if tooth falls out itself, $20, if he pulls it out $50). any money from ma ma and yeh yeh (they NEVER buy presents for the kids, they only ever give them $100~ almost every time we see them).
You sound very reasonable ... except ... they have gotten new toys between August and now, right?
Also, how did they specify the toys that they wanted grandma to buy for them? Did they send her lists or did she take their money and choose the toys for them herself?
Last edited by dear giant; 13-01-2012 at 09:27 PM. Reason: Update w/2nd question.