'I don't feel like I need to apologize or justify my choice': Mom gives son cash gift for finishing grad school, neglects to acknowledge daughter-in-law who graduated with him

Giving a gift is a great way to acknowledge that you're thinking of someone. It doesn't have to be much, but a little goes a long way. Some of the best gifts aren't the most expensive ones, but the ones that show you know something about them and their interests. It's also a way to show that you consider someone a part of your family. If you've made it to the inner circle of gift-giving, that's a big deal, so to be able to extend that to someone is a really nice gesture.

This is especially pertinent when someone in your family gets married. It's on you as a family member to include them in your family as much as you can. You hold the key to your family's approval and you want to wield it responsibly. Gifts are an easy and seamless way to include a significant other in the family's fun and to show that you care about them.

In this situation, thought, one mom didn't quite get the message. When her son, who she was careful to point out that she raised as a single mom, accomplished a huge milestone when he graduated graduate school, she was quick to swoop in with a gift. But she failed to acknowledge her son's wife, who had also accomplished the same milestone. Read on for the story.
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When graduation day came, the praise wasn't equal on all fronts.

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Outside perspectives were swift in shutting down this woman's attitude.

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