Push Present, Really?

By Hally Franz –

There is a new trend in gift-giving I recently learned about. Or, maybe it’s not so recent, but I’m just behind the trends. It is called the “push present.”

The push present is a gift given by a husband (or significant other) to the mother of his child upon the birth of said child. It is a basically a prize or reward for the mother’s completion of the birthing task. Typically, it is a piece of jewelry, perhaps a ring or diamond bracelet. I’m not sure if the difficulty of the process determines the expense of the gift. It may be that a 5-hour labor merits a moderately-priced bobble, while a 20-hour labor dictates a gift of significant bling. As I said, this is new to me.

No doubt, I will really come across as an old fuddy-duddy because of my position on this particular new custom—and, of course, my use of the expression “fuddy-duddy.” However, I have to say that I find the push present a bit much.

I did not give birth at home, nor did I return to the field for planting the following day. I had four full days in the hospital after the birth of our son via caesarean, and my husband did bring me a modest necklace after Ivan’s arrival. It was a thin gold chain with a heart charm encircling a mother and child. Tim’s gift was unsolicited, unexpected, romantic and meaningful.

Isn’t the journey of making, caring for and raising a child a shared effort? Parenting works best when both mother and father are present and participating, and children benefit when parents share in the process. That doesn’t mean we track and itemize each discussion, act of discipline, and school-related commute on a daily basis to ensure equal work along the way.

Perhaps new mothers should buy new fathers a “tolerated-hormonal-moods token” or a “ran-out-for-cravings reward” to show their gratitude for support offered during pregnancy. I’ve always believed the birth of a beautiful, healthy child is plenty reward for any father or mother.

Parenting is about giving without expecting anything in return, loving unconditionally. While the push present is not wrong, it does seem to imply that every part of life needs to be rewarded, even the most natural and blessed of events.

PRAYER: Father God, bless the new parents of the world. Guide and direct them through this precious and sometimes exhausting journey. Uplift and encourage them, and help them to raise Christian men and women who seek to serve You. 

BIBLE VERSE: “For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him” (Genesis 18:19 NIV).