Worst family in the world?

[CW]

This has just broken my heart watching the video. I have spent hours reading all the replys and I'm not finished yet. Engadget and microsoft are working together to get Jonathan a xbox 360. Engadget has checked into this story to see if he did get a xbox and from my understanding he did not get a xbox. Posters on youtube said if you listen to the mother she tell's little Jonathan not to tear the box, they borrowed the empty xbox from a neighbor for this lousy joke. Here is a link to Engadget I haven't started reading it yet I just found the link.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/29/worst-parents-in-the-world-punk-kid-into-thinking-he-got-an-xbox/

 

[chiperoni]

What kind of family plays a trick on their child to laugh at his disappointment? Isn't family the last refuge and comfort for a child when he experiences the real disappointments of life?

 

[CW]

I have been crying so hard over this. This is my post that I posted and I also sent a email to Engadget thanking them for wanting to help make this wrong a right by his cruel parents.

Engadget I think it is wonderful that you are working on making this right. What his parents did was ohhhhh...so wrong it truly has broken my heart how can people be so cruel to innocent little children. IMo they set out to hurt this precious child knowing they were playing this lousy joke all along. My heavens people what is wrong with some of you? Why are you wanting to cut down Engadget for wanting to bring a little happiness into this precious childs life. I'm sure if this malice joke hadn't of been played on him he would of excepted the fact that he didn't get a xbox 360.

 

[White Rain]

What kind of family plays a trick on their child to laugh at his disappointment? Isn't family the last refuge and comfort for a child when he experiences the real disappointments of life?

Exactly.

 

[White Rain]

Yes, I mean you. You have a heart of gold and are very sweet.

:blowkiss:

:blushing: Oh my, thank you, thank you, thank you 100x over!!!! You just made my day!!!!!!!!!!!
:blowkiss: right back at ya! And thyank you again!!!!

 

[STO4]

I am lost for words... Just so cruel and horrible.

 

[aussie_mum]

Aussie Mum I am so sorry. Wow. I didn't watch the video either. Not because of anything even remotely like what happened to you. I'd feel guilty if the poor kid is hurt. We were so spoiled and out children were as well I just couldn't look at it. Again, I am sorry for your pain.

Awwwwwwwww thank you. I was spoilt in some ways, but I have no idea what my mother was thinking. She has done similar things like tell me I am adopted, she ran with that one for a week or so. Another was that I had an older sister somewhere. So I doubt if this is the first time this family has done something like this. It plays with your emotions and leaves you feeling like you have to question everything and if you can be trust what is told to you.

 

[Mygirlsadie]

I do give clothes as gifts. Usually for the older ones though..My hubby and I exchange clothing items as gifts..my teenage daughter gets a few clothing items as gifts because on a regular basis I can't afford to get her the $90 baby phat shoes. My two little boys who are around the same age as boy in video don't usually get clothes as gifts because thats not where they are in this stage of life.. Well actually this past Christmas each of them got a new robe and I noticed it when they opened it they were like oh cool..and set it aside. They were not too interested. Which that don't bother me. It don't mean they are un appreciative or spoiled. They are just little boys and much rather get something fun.

I couldn't watch the whole video. What a mean trick. Mygirlsadie, you never give clothes as gifts? Clothes are a gift staple at our house, as much as books and other "everyday" things are.

So, did the kid ever get a real XBox?

 

[Amraann]

After thinking about this further I really have to wonder what kind of bully these parents are trying to raise..
They completely just taught their child that to be cruel and pick on someone younger and smaller and then laugh is totally OK.
NICE lesson mom and dad!! (I am using those words loosely!!)

This child is in for a lot more disappointments in life with these people as his family.

My son's like every other on the planet wanted the Xbox 360 as I well.
I made it clear that it simply was not something they were going to get.
Not that they want for much but how many expensive gaming systems does one family need?? Not to mention you then have to buy all new expensive games.
If this family could not afford the 360 they should have been honest about that.

 

[Paladin]

I just want to set the record straight. I titled this thread the way I did because that is what the link titled it. I realize this kid could be worse off.

Anyway, I'm pretty miffed about this. The look on the kid's face hurts me.

 

[sherri79]

I just want to set the record straight. I titled this thread the way I did because that is what the link titled it. I realize this kid could be worse off.

Anyway, I'm pretty miffed about this. The look on the kid's face hurts me.

true that there are worse families out there. we read about them here often. that in no way makes this family less horrible. anyone that gets pleasure from causing their child pain can compete for the title of worst.

 

[capps]

I just want to set the record straight. I titled this thread the way I did because that is what the link titled it. I realize this kid could be worse off.

Anyway, I'm pretty miffed about this. The look on the kid's face hurts me.

Oh I agree and understand that this boy will not be scarred for life over this,but like you Paladin,it makes me shake my head on how immature these parents were to pull off a crummy joke like that.If anything,I would expect a cruel joke like that from a taunting sibling,but not the parents.

 

[browneyes]

I couldn't bring myself to watch the vidoe. I hate when people hurt children and it especially hurts me that this boy's parents did this.

 

[sweetheart29]

If they were going to make him think he got a xbox he should have gotten a xbox. That said: one year my mom told me all she got me was a box of chocolate cover cherries (I hate cherries and every body knows it) So Christmas morning I open my present it was an opened box of cherries so I open it and on the bottom layer there had been one remove and place with a ring that I had begged for, for months I took my ring out and threw the box of cherries at mom.

By son turned 7 in Fed. and he just knew he was getting a gameboy he had ask everyone in the family for one (we told him we could not afford one). That morning we told him we were going into town to dads shop to change the oil in my car. On the way to the shop we stopped at is fav. restaurant to eat breakfast. I had the waitress to sing happy birthday to him. Then we went to the shop got some tools. Then we went to a car show (They had the Dukes of Hazards car there) , then to the space musem (which cost more than a gameboy) his other fav. place. Later we went to dinner. At dinner he said he would not change the any thing about that day. I ask if he would have rather had a gameboy then went to the space musesm he said no. We had to stop by walmart to pick up his cake and ice cream on the way home. It was getting late so we told him we would do cake and ice the next day. We get home hestarts get ready for bed and I bring his last present out. It was a gameboy is grandma had bought and three games from me and dad. But I would never make him think he was getting something and not get it for him.

 

[Rino]

What is an xbox and why is this more important than clothes for Christmas? It seems that someone put more importance on this and trying to get a laugh from it.

It's a toy.

It is not more important than clothes, but it is cruel to make the kid think he is getting a very sought after game only to discover he is not.

 

[sherri79]

If they were going to make him think he got a xbox he should have gotten a xbox. That said: one year my mom told me all she got me was a box of chocolate cover cherries (I hate cherries and every body knows it) So Christmas morning I open my present it was an opened box of cherries so I open it and on the bottom layer there had been one remove and place with a ring that I had begged for, for months I took my ring out and threw the box of cherries at mom.

By son turned 7 in Fed. and he just knew he was getting a gameboy he had ask everyone in the family for one (we told him we could not afford one). That morning we told him we were going into town to dads shop to change the oil in my car. On the way to the shop we stopped at is fav. restaurant to eat breakfast. I had the waitress to sing happy birthday to him. Then we went to the shop got some tools. Then we went to a car show (They had the Dukes of Hazards car there) , then to the space musem (which cost more than a gameboy) his other fav. place. Later we went to dinner. At dinner he said he would not change the any thing about that day. I ask if he would have rather had a gameboy then went to the space musesm he said no. We had to stop by walmart to pick up his cake and ice cream on the way home. It was getting late so we told him we would do cake and ice the next day. We get home hestarts get ready for bed and I bring his last present out. It was a gameboy is grandma had bought and three games from me and dad. But I would never make him think he was getting something and not get it for him.

i have often lied to my kids in a effort to surprise them. told them we are going to a relatives when we are really going to a theme park. my daughter thought her father and i had lost our minds when she opened a instant mashed potatoes box on Christmas morning. she was thrilled when she open the box and it had a note that said her last present was outside and she found a bike. i think the huge difference between what you have talked about and what i just listed was the intent of the parents. we want to surprise our kids and they just wanted a laugh at the expense of their child's feelings.

 

[gaia227]

Wow. I am always going on about how kids now are so spoiled and their parents are spending thousands of dollars getting them I-Phones, PS3's etc and how it is teaching kids to become products of the capitalism in the worst way, but there is no explaining this. I actually cried. To see his face light up like that and then transform to disappointment to acceptance and then to just being stunned was really hard to watch. The thing that gets me is maybe when they conceived of their little prank they didn't realize how much it would hurt him but once they saw no one comforted him or acted like they felt the least bit bad. They just continued to taunt and laugh at him while he sits there trying not to cry.
I feel so sorry for him and just want to go rescue him from these cruel, immature and pathetic people. Due to the public's response perhaps something good came out of this and they realized what they did was really flucked up and mean. Somehow, I doubt it.

 

[justche]

I thought I was getting a car when I turned 16...thought the little box had the keys in it. It was a matchbox kind of car. I was disappointed, but it wasn't in cruelty, and after the initial eye rolling and "oh come on!" Both brothers really yukked it up, because I should have known that we couldn't afford an extra car for me, but I knew how much time my dad had spent looking for that particular car model - and if he could have he would have given me the real thing.

You know what I don't like is when kids aren't grateful for what they get. I think it was meant funny, not hurtful, but that was the end result. Guess what? We have disappointments in life, sometimes our family disappoints us. He received a gift that was specifically for him, wrapped in something he wishes he could have. All of us have said something we thought was funny, and it fell flat.

There's obviously several people in the family and they are spending the day together and enjoying one another's company. We're seeing 30 seconds of that whole day and making extreme character judgments. He looks healthy, he'll be fine. I don't see cruelty, I see poor judgment.

 

[sherri79]

I thought I was getting a car when I turned 16...thought the little box had the keys in it. It was a matchbox kind of car. I was disappointed, but it wasn't in cruelty, and after the initial eye rolling and "oh come on!" Both brothers really yukked it up, because I should have known that we couldn't afford an extra car for me, but I knew how much time my dad had spent looking for that particular car model - and if he could have he would have given me the real thing.

You know what I don't like is when kids aren't grateful for what they get. I think it was meant funny, not hurtful, but that was the end result. Guess what? We have disappointments in life, sometimes our family disappoints us. He received a gift that was specifically for him, wrapped in something he wishes he could have. All of us have said something we thought was funny, and it fell flat.

There's obviously several people in the family and they are spending the day together and enjoying one another's company. We're seeing 30 seconds of that whole day and making extreme character judgments. He looks healthy, he'll be fine. I don't see cruelty, I see poor judgment.

if it was really just meant to be funny yet not hurtful i cant understand the desire to post your child's pain for the world to see.

 

[deanws]

Awwwwwwwww thank you. I was spoilt in some ways, but I have no idea what my mother was thinking. She has done similar things like tell me I am adopted, she ran with that one for a week or so. Another was that I had an older sister somewhere. So I doubt if this is the first time this family has done something like this. It plays with your emotions and leaves you feeling like you have to question everything and if you can be trust what is told to you.

I am so sorry you had to endure such treatment Aussie.