1. The Golden Child
My sixteen year old cousin is the Golden Child of my extended family. She can’t do any wrong even though she was a brat for a good chunk of her life. My grandparents basically raised her as her mom worked over an hour away most days (and it’s not like her job is all that exclusive. I have the same job and work literally 5 minutes from my house), and they let her do whatever she wanted because they didn’t want to be the bad guy.
So when she inevitably wound up knocked up at fourteen because “she didn’t want to use birth control and said she didn’t need it” (their actual words) and god forbid anyone parents, their response was it was like Romeo and Juliet (to which my sister got smacked by my mom for pointing out that it was too quick and they die horribly because of selfishness, though she agreed) and they’ll live happily ever after. So when that doesn’t happen because teenagers are impulsive little brats, my grandparents are raising their great grandkid and are loving it.
I love my baby cousin, and because none of this is her fault and you can’t get mad at someone for existing and being born into a toxic environment, I’ve decided to show my disdain for her irresponsible mother by getting her the most irritating toys in existence. For her first Christmas, she got a load of books and a leap frog doggie that talks all the time that she loved. For her second when she needed a helmet due to being in her car seat too much. And it was obvious she didn’t really pay any attention to her kid, I made her a mommy and me blanket with some books for storytime with the cutest little pattern of a mommy elephant and a baby elephant.
The best part is the baby LOVES me since I spoil her and teach her new things, so I know she’s going to love the ball pit with a bag of extra balls I’m getting her for Christmas this year.