It has all occurred with my children too Examinator and your story made me laugh hard as experience and live it with my 19yr old too [in fairness though the treadmill for 2yrs she uses twice daily yet now side effects; lost far too much weight]. Son received a Weii from his Dad's close mate last year. Son played it half a dozen times, packed it up in the box and has not played since.

The playstation games rarely. Prefers table tennis, cricket [slogging me in the eye with the ball resulting in 'flashing for 3 months'] or pinging me on the backside with another ball every time I lean over to pick up the ball he's served and scored....grr..grins at me cheekily with protruding teeth as he requires braces, beautiful large hazel eyes with laughter reflected in them and well....who cld be upset until...the following monday trying to do computer work with a constant tear running out of the 'flashing twitching' eye.

Oops should add here that son slogging me in the eye last year was pure accident; he was trying a new bowling technique etc. He is not a bully and does not like seeing people or mates hurt.

Foxy,
If I ever get hold of Kathy van Zeeland, I'll ask her for my money back. And I'll give her most of her bags back all 20 of them. I'm sure I've paid for her latest Mercedes. Grrr

BTW chardonnay columbard (unwooded) is a necessity not discretionary.
Or I'll go postal with all this consumerism in the house aaaaaagggh!
I swear the only reason we have our current house is to store all this unused consumerist junk.

We are unique,
You lie, you are not unique! You are like most parents, up to their neck in consumerist junk.
It took a truck to move my eldest out. I've been to his 3 bedroom story unit. Sometimes he threatens to come home. My bedroom and half the house and the garage, shed would disappear under his fads. Not surprisingly I tell him if he does I take a fatwa out on his junk.

Dear Examinator,

You buy your girls handbags?

Wow, I am impressed!

If I'm lucky -
I may get perfume from time to time.
Not French - but Elizabeth Arden.
Or taken to a Gold Class cinema.

Still I get lots of cuddles - and that
definitely counts! :-)