The answer is what do I buy my children that I wasn’t able to have as a child?
Unlimited music lessons.
Paid driving lessons
Money to hang out with friends
Clothes that I wasn’t able to have
Etc.
Whatever they want gaming
Music instruments like a drum set, a bass and a guitar, an electric piano.
One of the first things I bought as an adult was a Bible and a Koran.
I was raised free of religion and was supposed to make up my own mind as a person, which I did. Why these two books of God in particular? Because these two religions were the most common in my home country at the time.
A bunch of games from the early 2010’s, like right around the end of the Xbox 360 / PS3 era. I missed out on a lot of that, but I recognize the titles from when they were still in mode.
It was really fun to go back to them, and they’re often so cheap – I can go to the local bookstore and pick up old 360 games for like $5. The real steal is when I find something that has real, in-person split-screen.
Creamy peanut butter with sugar in it. I was only allowed natural crunchy peanut butter as a child but now I gleefully make my sandwiches with Jif Creamy. That shit’s fucking delicious.
I buy my kids a lot of play-doh, and other messy things that my parents wouldn’t buy me because the house always had to be presentable in case the Queen was coming over.
Reading all the comments and I realized that I had a pretty good childhood,my mom was definitely trying her best to provide me anything I wanted. I remember I asked her to “gift” me an older brother,she couldn’t lol
The classic Pet Rock. I was about 12 when they came out and REALLY wanted one, but my Dad said it was an utterly stupid waste of money, so I bought one last year. And I love it, even though he was right, $30 for a rock in a cardboard box is pretty silly.
Legit the Barbie’s I wanted as a kid I bought for my kids. Ruffles Sour Cream and Cheddar Potato Chips. Shampoo and conditioner that I saw on commercials (such as Herbal Essences and Pantene Pro-V—for hair so healthy it shines).
First-hand clothes. Clothes that are not from a thrift store, real, off-the-shelf, name-brand clothes. Not that the name brand matters, but it’s the principle.
ngl I bought myself the deluxe webkinz membership as a 23 year old. we couldn’t afford it when I was a kid and I sometimes like to escape to a simpler time
Coca cola. My mom and sister had type 1 diabetes so the only soda purchased was diet coke. I would occasionally get regular coke at restaurants and my grandparents and I always thought it was so much better.
Haagen dazs ice cream. It was one of the few years my mom refused to share with us. She said it was too good for children. Now that I buy my own ice cream, I agree with her!
A guitar. It wasn’t that I wasn’t forbidden from having one. We just couldn’t afford one. Music was never a priority when we were just trying to survive. So I bought my first guitar at 31 😊
The old board game where you build the wacky Rube-Goldberg style machine. I only ever got to play it like once when I was a kid and was at someone’s house who’s kid had it. I loved it and asked for that as my birthday and or christmas present pretty much every year, but never got it.
Food! My mom always had us on crash diets and we weren’t fat. She just controlled our food but my stepmom and dad did it also. When I got pregnant all they could say is “you are gonna get fat” no more fat free, carb free, crash diets. No more food so processed you can taste the chemicals.
Funnily enough it was the opposite actually. As a kid i was allowed to have Yugioh cards. As an adult, my parents were hardcore religious and I wasn’t allowed to have them anymore and they were gonna burn them.
Books like The Hobbit or The Hunger Games. I wasn’t allowed to read these kinds of books as a kid and it’s just so freeing to walk into a library and be able to finally read them.
It’s really nice to see what people gift themselves now as an adult and allowing themselves that freedom. Growing up I always struggled with buying things for myself as I always felt guilt in that the stuff I wanted wasn’t important or that there was more important stuff I needed to spend money on (bills, education, food, etc). It was tough financial situations when I was a kid. I also feel happier buying gifts for others/making gifts for others. It has gotten slightly easier with buying myself items I want (Thank you video games and books!) but it’s a constant struggle. Enjoy it, y’all!
I haven’t done it yet, but you know that massive jar of maraschino cherries you can get at Costco or Sam’s Club? I really want to buy one of those. As kids we only ever got one at a time.
Sweetened cereal. As kids we were only allowed Cheerios, shredded wheat, grape nuts, corn flakes.
So now I eat Cap’n Crunch, honeycomb, Frosted Flakes, whatever I want.
The protein is basically the same since it comes from the milk. But they didn’t have nutrition labels on foods back then so my parents thought sweetened cereal was horrible for us kids. We were robbed!
My freedom. An apartment free of physical, mental and emotional abuse from my father and the enabling and fakeness from my out of touch mother. I thrived once I left and moved across the country.
My first paycheck in I got in my apartment. I bought a used copy of fallout 3. A bag of blowpops a box of fruit by the foot and a half gallon of chocolate milk. That memory means more to me than my first beer. Wasn’t allowed to ever get any of those things as a kid.
I was never allowed candy like other children and my step sister even more so – it was like a hidden delicacy and has become an uncontrollable addiction into adulthood🥲
Video games. At some point in late high school I was told by my parents I was too old for video games and needed to grow out of them and focus on my studies. Jokes on them, I ended up becoming a game developer, lol.
Makeup. Clothes that weren’t from a church donation or hand me downs from neighbors. Shoes that fit, nails, tattoos, skincare. Nutritious food. Basically the self care and self expression I only dreamed about as a kid.
My family had the money, but my mom squirrelled it all away or spent it on herself. I was bullied a lot for being poor. We went without a lot of things as a kid, I didn’t have a real coat until I was 15 when the school called my mom asking why. My kids will never have to worry or struggle through their childhoods like I did.
Air conditioning. Never had it as a kid and fans only do so much. I’m too old to suffer the discomfort and nastiness of a bedroom that is 80° (or more) in the summer anymore.
Two kittens. They are littermates and were going to be put down bc they were sick. My mom still gave me a lecture when she found out I was fostering them though….
Garlic. My mom had a severe allergy so we couldn’t have it in the house. I ate it for the first time when I was 18. I have eaten garlic every day of my adult life. I can’t believe the deliciousness I was missing.
A ribeye steak. My mother would occasionally buy herself one as a special treat and get pissed if me or my sister asked for a bite. She would say, “If I had a piece of shit on a stick, you would want some, too.” As a mother of adult children, I can’t imagine ever doing this to my kids. If I buy steak, I buy enough for everyone.
I took dance as an adult. I shared this in another comment, but when one of my older brothers was younger, he took piano and quit after a very short period of time. My dad was pissed and after that, seldomly allowed any of us to take paid lessons for anything. We’d beg, promise to stick with it, and he’d insist no. Because my brother quit piano at 6, we’d all quit whatever activity.
So, I joined an amateur dance team in college, then saved up to take some dance lessons, and I’ve continued doing so ever since.
Underwear with cartoon characters. My mom bought white cotton bikini briefs for me. No fun prints, colors, or anything. Now my dresser is full of little mermaid, jack skelington, my little pony, reptar and more. Picking it my underwear for the day is one of my favorite things in my morning routine.
Shoes. I’m not a shoe addict or anything, I only have like 4 pairs currently, but there was a point around like 14-15 where I stopped getting new clothes. I didn’t get new shoes or clothes for the new school year like everyone else and it was embarrassing. Actually the only thing that was provided for me anymore was food and shelter. I got a job at 15 and the only new things I got other than on Christmas, I had to buy myself.
So when I could afford it over the years, I’ve bought a few pairs of shoes like Nike and Converse. “Cool” shoes that I didn’t get to have back then.
Okay, we were fed as kids, just not enough. Our servings were “sufficient” and there were no seconds. Not that we really wanted any when supper was boiled potatoes, frozen peas, and either liver or sausage.
As an adult, food is the one thing I will NOT limit for myself. I’m not saying I overeat, I just allow myself to eat the foods I like. Sure, I spend too much money at restaurants and the grocery store, but the scars are deep so it’s non-negotiable.
Comments
Alcohol
Weed.
Nintendo!
Sooo much where do I begin….. A gaming console, a workout bench, a laptop, several books and dvds etc.
Pokemon cards
A trampoline
Expensive clothes
Chocolate!
The answer is what do I buy my children that I wasn’t able to have as a child?
Unlimited music lessons.
Paid driving lessons
Money to hang out with friends
Clothes that I wasn’t able to have
Etc.
Whatever they want gaming
Music instruments like a drum set, a bass and a guitar, an electric piano.
It vibrates.
Thigh Highs
flight ticket
Coca Cola
A puppy. And then 1.5 years later, another puppy.
Pop tarts, fried cheese, captain crunch.
Candy. Lots of it. An unhealthy amount.
My own underwear.
Swimming pool and we use it constantly
Sugary cereals. 😂 We were allowed Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but that was it.
Gushers and video games.
a lego pirate ship. not that i wasnt allowed, but we couldnt afford
Cosmic brownies and pizza. I grew up with a disordered parent.
Birthday and Christmas presents for my loved ones
A gumball machine.
A drum set
64 crayon pack
Tickets to a Marilyn Manson concert
Band-Aids with cartoons on them.
comic books
Kittens
Fireworks on 4th of July
Food.
Snacks of my choosing.
A dog
One of the first things I bought as an adult was a Bible and a Koran.
I was raised free of religion and was supposed to make up my own mind as a person, which I did. Why these two books of God in particular? Because these two religions were the most common in my home country at the time.
I shocked my hrothers when they visited because my kids had so many sweets to choose from.
So many that they had little interest in them.
When I was little I got a few little treats once a week because I spent my allowance on comics. Nature AND nurture
Name brand stuff, don’t get me wrong, love a good deal. But 5 star notebooks are so much better than the 50 cent ones from Walmart
Sex toys
What haven’t I bought? I have adult money now 😆
Full fat oreos
Full price shoes
A bunch of games from the early 2010’s, like right around the end of the Xbox 360 / PS3 era. I missed out on a lot of that, but I recognize the titles from when they were still in mode.
It was really fun to go back to them, and they’re often so cheap – I can go to the local bookstore and pick up old 360 games for like $5. The real steal is when I find something that has real, in-person split-screen.
Nice, current, super comfortable athletic shoes.
A samurai sword. I know I am lame. 🙂
Lots and lots of chocolate, we’d only have it rarely
Creamy peanut butter with sugar in it. I was only allowed natural crunchy peanut butter as a child but now I gleefully make my sandwiches with Jif Creamy. That shit’s fucking delicious.
Magic the gathering cards
I buy my kids a lot of play-doh, and other messy things that my parents wouldn’t buy me because the house always had to be presentable in case the Queen was coming over.
Dinosaur bed sheets and pillow cases
Chucks
A dog. Best decision ever.
I own a arcade game, it’s a 1up that i modded myself. My 12 year old self would have killed for one. Final fight, golden axe, whenever I want.
Castle Greyskull
style of clothes I really wanna wear & black coffee
Shoes from someplace other than Payless.
Certain snacks. Like the milano cookies. Or fresh cherries, because even back then, they were expensive.
A fancy swivel chair
A picture with sea lions at the county fair 🥲 to this day it’s my favorite photo
I bought a box of cocoa puffs. once. they were disgusting
Reading all the comments and I realized that I had a pretty good childhood,my mom was definitely trying her best to provide me anything I wanted. I remember I asked her to “gift” me an older brother,she couldn’t lol
A ridiculously large speaker (JBL Ultimate) that shakes my house and the neighborhood for no reason.
I only used it once.
All the good snacks.
Barbie dolls
A motorcycle
Lunchables — not that I wasn’t allowed but I was a school lunch kid so my parents never bought them
Advent calendar. My mom said she never got me one cuz she knew I’d eat it all in one day. She was right, even in my 30s.
Air jordan 11s in concord colorway.
My mom did a great job raising me and my great grandparents spoiled me but I never asked for Jordan’s because they were just so expensive.
The 11s came out when I was sophomore in high school and I think I finally bought a pair around the age 32. I’ve owned multiple since then.
A lightsaber.
Which has now become many lightsabers.
Games , trading cards , console , phone
An entire can of chocolate frosting, to just eat. The regret set in a while later on the toilet.
Legos
3 ply TP.
The classic Pet Rock. I was about 12 when they came out and REALLY wanted one, but my Dad said it was an utterly stupid waste of money, so I bought one last year. And I love it, even though he was right, $30 for a rock in a cardboard box is pretty silly.
https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Rock-Authentic-Approved-Original/dp/B07KN9FK4B/
Legit the Barbie’s I wanted as a kid I bought for my kids. Ruffles Sour Cream and Cheddar Potato Chips. Shampoo and conditioner that I saw on commercials (such as Herbal Essences and Pantene Pro-V—for hair so healthy it shines).
Drugs 🤣
DIY Craft Kits
Video games. Parents would never get me an Atari.
First-hand clothes. Clothes that are not from a thrift store, real, off-the-shelf, name-brand clothes. Not that the name brand matters, but it’s the principle.
Lego.
Good body wash, razors, electric toothbrush, perfume
Lucky Charms.
Also I bought tons of underwear. I was allowed to have it as a child of course, but I always felt like I never had enough.
Nutritious food
Stuffed animals and video games; but only because we were so fucking poor that it was deemed as unnecessary purchases
Condoms.
ngl I bought myself the deluxe webkinz membership as a 23 year old. we couldn’t afford it when I was a kid and I sometimes like to escape to a simpler time
Was extremely poor as a child so I don’t really look at prices when I’m buying quality food or alcohol. Still dress like a bumb though.
Trips to Disney
Dessert for after every dinner. Candy. That’s all really
2 cats
My first week of college I realized that I could eat an entire loaf of garlic bread for dinner and not get in trouble.
I later learned why my mom didn’t allow me to eat an entire loaf of garlic bread for dinner.
Coca cola. My mom and sister had type 1 diabetes so the only soda purchased was diet coke. I would occasionally get regular coke at restaurants and my grandparents and I always thought it was so much better.
Of course now I’m all in on diet Dr pepper.
Food I actually wanted to eat
Sugar cereal.
I got over it.
Nice toilet paper.
Kitties!!
Souvenirs at theme parks, food at the zoo, stuff like that.
Haagen dazs ice cream. It was one of the few years my mom refused to share with us. She said it was too good for children. Now that I buy my own ice cream, I agree with her!
A TV set.
Garbage pail kids card packs.
A cool pocket knife
Cocaine
A guitar. It wasn’t that I wasn’t forbidden from having one. We just couldn’t afford one. Music was never a priority when we were just trying to survive. So I bought my first guitar at 31 😊
So many Guns N’ Roses tickets. #notinthislifetime
years ago when I moved out of my parents house I bought 2 vibrators (had never m worded before) and chiiiiii….19 year old me had a blast 🥴
Weed and Lego.
Matching linens…like cute comforters that matched and decorative pillows
Booze.
Books.. and more books. And hot chocolate
Mouse Trap
The old board game where you build the wacky Rube-Goldberg style machine. I only ever got to play it like once when I was a kid and was at someone’s house who’s kid had it. I loved it and asked for that as my birthday and or christmas present pretty much every year, but never got it.
Alt of things but I big one I end getting often is watermelon. I had it so rarely as a child. Like 4 times
Food! My mom always had us on crash diets and we weren’t fat. She just controlled our food but my stepmom and dad did it also. When I got pregnant all they could say is “you are gonna get fat” no more fat free, carb free, crash diets. No more food so processed you can taste the chemicals.
Funnily enough it was the opposite actually. As a kid i was allowed to have Yugioh cards. As an adult, my parents were hardcore religious and I wasn’t allowed to have them anymore and they were gonna burn them.
Glad I moved out and can still buy them.
Books like The Hobbit or The Hunger Games. I wasn’t allowed to read these kinds of books as a kid and it’s just so freeing to walk into a library and be able to finally read them.
It’s really nice to see what people gift themselves now as an adult and allowing themselves that freedom. Growing up I always struggled with buying things for myself as I always felt guilt in that the stuff I wanted wasn’t important or that there was more important stuff I needed to spend money on (bills, education, food, etc). It was tough financial situations when I was a kid. I also feel happier buying gifts for others/making gifts for others. It has gotten slightly easier with buying myself items I want (Thank you video games and books!) but it’s a constant struggle. Enjoy it, y’all!
Concert and sports tickets
Any time I’m traveling and there’s a penny press, I use it. 7 year old me is absolutely delighted every time.
I haven’t done it yet, but you know that massive jar of maraschino cherries you can get at Costco or Sam’s Club? I really want to buy one of those. As kids we only ever got one at a time.
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and Down on the Upside. My parents were strict and I didn’t get to own secular music.
a lot of hello kitty stuff
Lego Pirate Ship
Therapy
Sweetened cereal. As kids we were only allowed Cheerios, shredded wheat, grape nuts, corn flakes.
So now I eat Cap’n Crunch, honeycomb, Frosted Flakes, whatever I want.
The protein is basically the same since it comes from the milk. But they didn’t have nutrition labels on foods back then so my parents thought sweetened cereal was horrible for us kids. We were robbed!
Not so much bought, but I painted my bedroom black. It’s amazing and shove it, ma.
Cake for breakfast 😂
My freedom. An apartment free of physical, mental and emotional abuse from my father and the enabling and fakeness from my out of touch mother. I thrived once I left and moved across the country.
This might sound funny, but a bed bigger than a single! I was in a single till I moved out and upgraded to a Queen.
Swimming pool and a dog
Indoor pets
Hookers
Dog 🐕
Video games
A tv for my bedroom
My first paycheck in I got in my apartment. I bought a used copy of fallout 3. A bag of blowpops a box of fruit by the foot and a half gallon of chocolate milk. That memory means more to me than my first beer. Wasn’t allowed to ever get any of those things as a kid.
Entire cakes.
Candy💀😅
I was never allowed candy like other children and my step sister even more so – it was like a hidden delicacy and has become an uncontrollable addiction into adulthood🥲
I collectors GI Joe. The EOD operator to be exact.
Super sugary cereal. I regret nothing.
Video games. At some point in late high school I was told by my parents I was too old for video games and needed to grow out of them and focus on my studies. Jokes on them, I ended up becoming a game developer, lol.
Whatever I damn well please. When I was a kid my dad said “I provide you all the basics. Anything else you want you have to save up for”
Makeup. Clothes that weren’t from a church donation or hand me downs from neighbors. Shoes that fit, nails, tattoos, skincare. Nutritious food. Basically the self care and self expression I only dreamed about as a kid.
My family had the money, but my mom squirrelled it all away or spent it on herself. I was bullied a lot for being poor. We went without a lot of things as a kid, I didn’t have a real coat until I was 15 when the school called my mom asking why. My kids will never have to worry or struggle through their childhoods like I did.
Books. So many books. My mother always told me books were a waste of time and money. Now I have so many bookshelves FILLED with fantastic literature
Technically I didn’t buy him, he just appeared, but a cat. However, he is now the most expensive freeloader ever, so I can say I bought him.
Air conditioning. Never had it as a kid and fans only do so much. I’m too old to suffer the discomfort and nastiness of a bedroom that is 80° (or more) in the summer anymore.
I likes me some 65° for sleeping. 😎
Two kittens. They are littermates and were going to be put down bc they were sick. My mom still gave me a lecture when she found out I was fostering them though….
Garlic. My mom had a severe allergy so we couldn’t have it in the house. I ate it for the first time when I was 18. I have eaten garlic every day of my adult life. I can’t believe the deliciousness I was missing.
A ribeye steak. My mother would occasionally buy herself one as a special treat and get pissed if me or my sister asked for a bite. She would say, “If I had a piece of shit on a stick, you would want some, too.” As a mother of adult children, I can’t imagine ever doing this to my kids. If I buy steak, I buy enough for everyone.
Two of those 80’s fiber optic flower lamps. My grandma had one when I was little and she never let me turn it on.
I took dance as an adult. I shared this in another comment, but when one of my older brothers was younger, he took piano and quit after a very short period of time. My dad was pissed and after that, seldomly allowed any of us to take paid lessons for anything. We’d beg, promise to stick with it, and he’d insist no. Because my brother quit piano at 6, we’d all quit whatever activity.
So, I joined an amateur dance team in college, then saved up to take some dance lessons, and I’ve continued doing so ever since.
Underwear with cartoon characters. My mom bought white cotton bikini briefs for me. No fun prints, colors, or anything. Now my dresser is full of little mermaid, jack skelington, my little pony, reptar and more. Picking it my underwear for the day is one of my favorite things in my morning routine.
Shoes. I’m not a shoe addict or anything, I only have like 4 pairs currently, but there was a point around like 14-15 where I stopped getting new clothes. I didn’t get new shoes or clothes for the new school year like everyone else and it was embarrassing. Actually the only thing that was provided for me anymore was food and shelter. I got a job at 15 and the only new things I got other than on Christmas, I had to buy myself.
So when I could afford it over the years, I’ve bought a few pairs of shoes like Nike and Converse. “Cool” shoes that I didn’t get to have back then.
Cocaine
Legos.
An actual drink at a restaurant instead of just water. God it’s so nice.
Weed
That peanut butter and jelly combo thing in the same jar.
It was gross, though
Food.
Okay, we were fed as kids, just not enough. Our servings were “sufficient” and there were no seconds. Not that we really wanted any when supper was boiled potatoes, frozen peas, and either liver or sausage.
As an adult, food is the one thing I will NOT limit for myself. I’m not saying I overeat, I just allow myself to eat the foods I like. Sure, I spend too much money at restaurants and the grocery store, but the scars are deep so it’s non-negotiable.
Sugary cereal! BooBerry is as fantastic as I’d always imagined.