when babs mentioned that it is imperative she immediately rush to home bargains to buy activities to keep the toddlers occupied during the five weeks she is left "alone" with them during the impending summer holidays - which she absolutely did not "forget" about, as she recently mentioned how much she's dreading having to parent the kids all by herself and potentially having to spend time with them
- the real reason is so she can spend a few quid buying ethan some pointless plastic tat to justify giving erin a lougefly bag and a load of other disney goodies on her last day of term, while shoving a crappy toddler surprise toy and colouring book at ethan, and ensure that she cannot be accused of favouritism.
she's so incredibly heartless and cruel to that little boy. he could have attended the Lightyear premiere - especially as babs is taking erin to that inappropriate Barlow concert - and would have undoubtedly been delighted to recieve a bunch of buzz lightyear toys, which would have balanced with erin receiving a load of Stitch accessories. it makes perfect sense, since each kid wod then end up with toys/accessories based on their own likes/interests. but it wouldn't cross babs' mind to treat her kids equally or fairly! it always has to be about the golden child. sure, erin may have felt disappointed if ethan had attended the premiere and she didn't, - but she would have got over it, especially as she isn't a huge buzz lightyear fan - thus ethan can't go because it wouldn't be "fair" if perceived her brother as "the chosen child" on that one single occasion - but
duck ethan, and how he feels always been treated as an inconvenience and an afterthought, and being left at home while babs takes erin on holidays and to concerts and theatre trips while he misses out.
i often get the impression that babs treats the kids as though they are replicas of
her - thus the assumption that erin would be rabid with jealousy and unable to cope if ethan was taken somewhere or received a gift he would absolutely adore, simply because that is how she would feel/react in a situation if her own sister had received a gift and she hadn't - hence why she ensures each kid always receives a gift on the other child's birthday, because she would have thrown a massive tantrum if all attention had been placed on Claire for an entire
day - and doesn't seem to consider that her own kids aren't attention-seeking narcissists who may actually be pleased for their sibling if they had the opportunity to do something so incredible - not filled with rage and jealousy, and scrawling plans of sabotage in gel pen in their notebook.
anyone else remember the time babs bought precious erin an expensive Disney-themed loungefly bag, and then when they next went to Disney, she made a point of sharing that she'd bought ethan a
loungefly "inspired" knock-off loungefly Mickey bag from primark/poundland/home bargains, which admittedly he absolutely adored, but the fact remains that she wouldn't ever have bought ethan a genuine loungefly bag while erin was bought a cheaper imitation! only the best for the golden child. and sure, in reality cost isn't everything, and ethan was clearly delighted with his bag, but it is to babs, and that's entirely the point. babs uses money to buy her kids love, and simultaneously, it seems to be the sole way she knows how to express love - in her mind she interprets gift the gifts she receives and their quality/price as a measure of how loved and adored she is - hence her utter disgust when steve had the audacity to buy her candles from sainsbos for her birthday, instead of genuine wankee candles! - and in that respect, the contrast displayed in the amount she spends on gifts/trips for erin compared to ethan, she is clearly showing that she favours erin, and values her daughter way above her little boy. and sure, at this age, ethan won't realise that, but as he grows up and begins to understand that to babs, the gifts you receive signify her love, it will
bleeping hurt.