Bokhara2

Gabs12231993 on Aug 1, 09 at 10:22 AM
Thanks for the help! And no, its not a joke. I just was looking for something for her to do while her sister is at the UN, which will not be fun for anyone if we have to drag her along. This is why she sort of controls the trip. She is the lowest common denominator in the family

Gabs12231993 I'm her 24\7 entertainment system otherwise so...(god, my little sister sucks.)


Ah Ha! So, Gabs - you're the long suffering brother? If so, you have my sympathy! Sorry, I thought you were one of your parents and, like others, felt you ought to have far more control over the situation.

If I read the situation correctly, your other sister has an appointment at the UN and you've been delegated to entertain the 7yo while everyone else is at the UN? Lots of little girls ADORE their big brothers, and if she's one of them, she might be quite amenable to doing some of the things YOU like too, rather than just "shopping 'til she drops".

Could you propose the day to her along the lines of just the two of you having a great day's adventure in NYC, while everyone else is at the boring old UN? If you could enlist her along these lines, you might actually be able to have a really good day with her. How do the two of you get along normally when your parents aren't around?

mrkindallas

nymag.com/family/kids/
www.ny.com/kids/

divineMissM

Gabs, please come back to this thread in 15 years and let us know how your 22 year old shopper/controller is handling real life.

mrkindallas

I think that many of you missed that this was an older brother posting for help with his younger sister rather than a parent being controlled by a seven-year old daughter.

nytraveler

It doesn;t matter if it's a parent or an older sibling - a 7 year old shouldn't be in charge of a vacation. the thing to do was give her lots of options from which to choose before the trip - making sure some were things all would want to do. And make it plain she is NOT in charge.

When I was 12/13 I would take my 8 or 9 year old brother into the city for the day several times a year. We always picked one thing he liked and then something we both liked. And when set up that way there was no whining - if there had been we would have gone straight home - and he knew it.

mrkindallas

The point is that the question was written from the perspective of an older brother. When an older brother makes it sound like an entire vacation is devoted to a seven-year old's desires, that's probably not the reality - especially after reading the OP's post on a recent trip to DC with said little sister. It seems that there was a balance between catering to both kids and adult stuff. And the shopping for make-up part...He probably truly pays little attention to what she wants to "shop" for.

Give the kid a break...He was just looking for some advice on how to entertain his sister. And it seems like he's asking for advice for a limited amount of time...not for an entire vacation. So, just like you catered your 8-9 year old brother in doing something he wanted to do, this older brother is looking for things to do with the little sis.

mrsgo

The water taxi is great...stops everywhere. You could take her to a show; Duffy Square is where you can get same day half price tickets. Double decker Big Apple Tour bus is fun as is the crazy bike trips and horse rides, hansoms, through the city. I would not ask her; I would just tell her what your plans are. I am sure your hotel has babysitters if she would prefer to stay in the room. Enjoy!

Gabs12231993

OMG! I'm the sister!! Just wanted to let everyone know we're home. We did shop, and we went to see Mamma Mia!, which all enjoyed. I got to go to the UN, and the little brat stayed in the room, so...very happy. Little brat also happy cause she spent $100 on American Girl Doll clothing!! (Not to mention build-a-bear...)

Seriously, you guys thought I was a boy? I'm a 15-year-old girl!!! LOL!!!!

Bokhara2

Hi Gabs,
Can't remember now why I thought you were a boy- something in your Washington post seemed to point that way (LOL). Sign of your being an extremely well balanced individual, no doubt !!

Anyway, I'm glad you survived the trip and enjoyed bits of it, too. You'll find it hard to believe now, but in a few years that 8 year gap will melt away and the brat will almost certainly grow into a great friend whom you'll be delighted to have for a sister. To paraphrase a commercial that was running a little while ago .... "It won't happen overnight - but it will happen."