Birthday Gift from Maddie - 'The Sun' 1st Feb 2010

by Autumn 01.02.10 8:48

The Sun - 1st Feb 2010

Birthday gift ‘from Maddie’ for twinsBy ANTONELLA LAZZERI

Published: Today
MADDIE McCann's sister and brother celebrated their fifth birthday with a party yesterday and a present from their missing sibling.
Parents Kate and Gerry held the special bash for twins Sean and Amelie.

They always buy the pair a gift from their missing sister for Christmas and birthdays.

The twins are a year older than Maddie was when she vanished from a holiday apartment in Portugal on May 3 2007.

A source close to the McCanns said the party at their home in Rothley, Leics, was "poignant" but Kate and Gerry, both 41, did everything they could to make it a happy day.

The source said: "Milestones like this are hard for them. Kate and Gerry are determined to give the twins as normal an upbringing as possible."

How is this normal? What are the twins to make of this - they are being made to believe that, although their sister is missing, somehow she manages to escape the monster who has taken her, for special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas, to deliver presents? How long are the McCanns going to continue this bizarre ritual, have they not stopped to consider the long-term effects this is going to have on the twins?

by vaguely1 01.02.10 9:13

Hard to believe that they're 5 already. Time goes so very quickly.

by Autumn 01.02.10 9:35

How very cruel of the parents to brainwash the twins into believing that Madleleine visits them to deliver gifts. If the twind truly believe this, they will feel upset that she hasn't stayed long enough to say hello or goodbye to them.

by vaguely1 01.02.10 9:50

Where does it say that they trick them in to believing she visits them?

by marigold 01.02.10 11:38

Autumn wrote:How very cruel of the parents to brainwash the twins into believing that Madleleine visits them to deliver gifts. If the twind truly believe this, they will feel upset that she hasn't stayed long enough to say hello or goodbye to them.

Yes, I agree. Heartless and very cruel. How confused they must be wondering how Maddie manages to get presents to them when she is being 'held' against her will. One minute they are angry that her 'abductor' won't let her go back to them and the next minute they are receiving presents from her! How long are those wicked parents going to keep up this charade, how can the twins grieve for their lost sister when the parents behave in this way.

by simplyme 01.02.10 11:51

Sounds like the parents are buying gifts due to a guilty conscience.....

by marigold 01.02.10 11:56

simplyme wrote:Sounds like the parents are buying gifts due to a guilty conscience.....

I have wondered many times if they even have a conscience.

by Pascal 01.02.10 12:11

Good grief.

My OH sends me cards from my animals. He even send me one from one of my cats, who was very special to me and who died over two years ago. It's just a gesture. No doubt you'll think I'm a freak now.

They want the twins to remember their sister is all. Really, are these silly little reports in a crappy newspaper worth that much of your time?

by vaguely1 01.02.10 12:25

I wonder half the time whether the journos don't write them so they can give themselves someone to laugh about when they read the response to them on the forums.

by Pascal 01.02.10 12:29

Absolutely. They're taking the p*ss

by vaguely1 01.02.10 12:37

They probably work part time selling blood pressure tablets.

win-win

by Pascal 01.02.10 12:42

by marigold 01.02.10 15:26

Pascal wrote:Good grief.

My OH sends me cards from my animals. He even send me one from one of my cats, who was very special to me and who died over two years ago. It's just a gesture. No doubt you'll think I'm a freak now.

They want the twins to remember their sister is all. Really, are these silly little reports in a crappy newspaper worth that much of your time?

So you don't believe the 'silly little reports' then? You think it's untrue that the twins are given presents from Maddie by their parents?
Sorry I think it's incredibly irresponsible of the Mccanns to let the twins assume that Maddie's well and happy enough to give them presents and yet tell them that she's prevented from coming home by a 'monster'. If you think it's ok well that's up to you. And you are an adult not a child and Madeleine is a human being and not a cat.

by bellatrix 01.02.10 15:49

i WOULD GUESS they have sought advice on how to deal with the twins,they are in the medical profession and I would think there are child psychologists at the hospital Dr McCann works at that he could speak to.

by vaguely1 01.02.10 15:52

I'd have also thought it's important that she is kept a part of the twins lives all the time she could be found. They can hardly pretend she doesn't/didn't exist.

by Pascal 01.02.10 16:03

marigold wrote:
Pascal wrote:Good grief.

My OH sends me cards from my animals. He even send me one from one of my cats, who was very special to me and who died over two years ago. It's just a gesture. No doubt you'll think I'm a freak now.

They want the twins to remember their sister is all. Really, are these silly little reports in a crappy newspaper worth that much of your time?

So you don't believe the 'silly little reports' then? You think it's untrue that the twins are given presents from Maddie by their parents?
Sorry I think it's incredibly irresponsible of the Mccanns to let the twins assume that Maddie's well and happy enough to give them presents and yet tell them that she's prevented from coming home by a 'monster'. If you think it's ok well that's up to you. And you are an adult not a child and Madeleine is a human being and not a cat.

I think it's incredibly irresponsible for posters to go off on a tangent based on crap they read in newspapers, thus generating more hatred - but heigh ho.

Would you sooner the twins blotted out all existence of Madeleine? Would you not consider that to offer a gift from the missing child is to keep her in the thoughts of the twins who were so very young when she disappeared? I'm at a loss how you can see this as a bad thing, I really am. I don't think I'm alone in that either.

I doubt very much they have even brought 'monsters into the conversation as to where Madeleine is.

Oh and fyi, not ever having had children, my animals are as dear to me as a child would be - take that how you like. Distort it and expect flak.

by aliberte2 01.02.10 16:05

this is just more Petty Crap that Certain Foundation Member and POsters get their Petticoats in a Knot Over when it's Completely Trivial and Unimportant. The Article DOesn't say What Posters here Are Claiming at All, and none of You give a crap about the McCann Twins - you Supported Efforts to put them into Care for God's Sakes.

by Pascal 01.02.10 16:06

It is very petty.

by Autumn 01.02.10 17:19

Because of the neglect issues on the holiday, I would certainly support any action to bring charges against the McCanns - it would then be a matter for a court and social services to decide on whether the twins would be better off in care.

by aliberte2 01.02.10 17:31

Have You Researched the Statute of Limitations? It's Almost Certainly up. The twins would Not be Better Off thrown into the System then into the Loving Arms of their Parents - even you Claim that they're the Favored Children, no?

by Autumn 01.02.10 17:39

No caring parent would have treated their children like this. Yes, I remain concerned for the twins well-being and hope they are being monitored by social services.

by Pascal 01.02.10 17:41

Do you think the twins would appreciate being torn away from their mummy and daddy Autumn? What long term effect do you think that would have on them?

by aliberte2 01.02.10 17:43

Autumn wrote:No caring parent would have treated their children like this. Yes, I remain concerned for the twins well-being and hope they are being monitored by social services.

Oh yes, Crying Once or Twice Vs. Being Thrown to Strangers and Probably Abused and Used for the Government Remittance.

by Autumn 01.02.10 17:52

aliberte2 wrote:
Autumn wrote:No caring parent would have treated their children like this. Yes, I remain concerned for the twins well-being and hope they are being monitored by social services.

Oh yes, Crying Once or Twice Vs. Being Thrown to Strangers and Probably Abused and Used for the Government Remittance.

Are you forgetting that the twins had been probably drugged on their hols too - Dave Edgar's thesis.

by Cath 01.02.10 17:53

Dave assumes an abductor might have done that.

by Kololi 01.02.10 18:21

I get cards and presents from my dog and if I am honest he is better clued in to my likes and dislikes than my hubby is as the dog's presents are always better than those from my hubby :)

by Pascal 01.02.10 19:08

Kololi wrote:I get cards and presents from my dog and if I am honest he is better clued in to my likes and dislikes than my hubby is as the dog's presents are always better than those from my hubby :)

Same here. big grin

by marigold 01.02.10 21:54

Pascal wrote:
marigold wrote:
Pascal wrote:Good grief.

My OH sends me cards from my animals. He even send me one from one of my cats, who was very special to me and who died over two years ago. It's just a gesture. No doubt you'll think I'm a freak now.

They want the twins to remember their sister is all. Really, are these silly little reports in a crappy newspaper worth that much of your time?

So you don't believe the 'silly little reports' then? You think it's untrue that the twins are given presents from Maddie by their parents?
Sorry I think it's incredibly irresponsible of the Mccanns to let the twins assume that Maddie's well and happy enough to give them presents and yet tell them that she's prevented from coming home by a 'monster'. If you think it's ok well that's up to you. And you are an adult not a child and Madeleine is a human being and not a cat.

I think it's incredibly irresponsible for posters to go off on a tangent based on crap they read in newspapers, thus generating more hatred - but heigh ho.

Would you sooner the twins blotted out all existence of Madeleine? Would you not consider that to offer a gift from the missing child is to keep her in the thoughts of the twins who were so very young when she disappeared? I'm at a loss how you can see this as a bad thing, I really am. I don't think I'm alone in that either.

I doubt very much they have even brought 'monsters into the conversation as to where Madeleine is.

Oh and fyi, not ever having had children, my animals are as dear to me as a child would be - take that how you like. Distort it and expect flak.

'Distort it and expect flak'. What on earth are are you talking about? The fact is that you understand the reasoning behind someone giving you a present from a deceased cat. The twins are not adults. They cannot possibly comprehend how Maddie can be held captive and yet send them presents. It is a totally different scenario.

by Kololi 01.02.10 23:03

Hi
Maybe I took the mickey a little in my post about my dog and should not have done in this thread that seems to have emotions running high.

Truth is, my hubby wrapping up little gifts for me from my dog on special occasions means a lot to me because he is a child substitute as my two are both grown and would look at me oddly if I asked them to sit on my lap while I tickled their tummy......

Animals, rightly or wrongly, are thought of by some of us dafter folk (no offense meant Pascal, just a glimpse of your world being a daft doggy owner person myself) in the same way as a mum might see her child.

We let children think that Santa comes down the chimney bearing gifts for the good children in his red sack. How many children seriously grow up negatively affected by this bit of fibbing and making Xmas a time of wonder and excitement for small children?

I honestly do not think that wrapping a gift for the younger children from Madeleine is so bad at all. She remains included in their family by such a gesture and whilst it does leave one wondering if maybe they do get a tadge confused now of how she managed to get the gift there I am sure that the confusion will pass as the youngsters suss out it is really mum and dad wrapping them - just like we all giggled a bit at our parents when they needed us to believe in Santa way past the time when we actually stopped believing.

Come on people - if there is no pressie from Madeleine than Madeleine is truly out in the cold and lost and that is a very sad thought.

Take care

by Pascal 01.02.10 23:39

Kololi wrote:Hi
Maybe I took the mickey a little in my post about my dog and should not have done in this thread that seems to have emotions running high.

Truth is, my hubby wrapping up little gifts for me from my dog on special occasions means a lot to me because he is a child substitute as my two are both grown and would look at me oddly if I asked them to sit on my lap while I tickled their tummy......

Animals, rightly or wrongly, are thought of by some of us dafter folk (no offense meant Pascal, just a glimpse of your world being a daft doggy owner person myself) in the same way as a mum might see her child.

We let children think that Santa comes down the chimney bearing gifts for the good children in his red sack. How many children seriously grow up negatively affected by this bit of fibbing and making Xmas a time of wonder and excitement for small children?

I honestly do not think that wrapping a gift for the younger children from Madeleine is so bad at all. She remains included in their family by such a gesture and whilst it does leave one wondering if maybe they do get a tadge confused now of how she managed to get the gift there I am sure that the confusion will pass as the youngsters suss out it is really mum and dad wrapping them - just like we all giggled a bit at our parents when they needed us to believe in Santa way past the time when we actually stopped believing.

Come on people - if there is no pressie from Madeleine than Madeleine is truly out in the cold and lost and that is a very sad thought.

Take care

no offense taken at all. Great post.