A user on a popular online forum shared her story of returning her daughter’s Christmas present because of how ungrateful she acted when she received it.
Broken Home
The original poster (OP) explained that her divorce was finalized one year ago, and her ex-husband won’t be around to spoil their kids for Christmas. OP said that since then, he has changed his number and never calls. OP is a nurse and works long hours and is doing her best to provide for her three girls.
OP said she asked her daughters what they wanted for Christmas. She said her eleven-year-olds asked for a Nintendo Switch with the latest Pokemon game, and her 16-year-old wanted an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil. OP said her intended budget for Christmas was $500, and since she couldn’t afford the iPad, she bought a Samsung tablet for $160.
On Christmas Day, when the girls opened their gifts, the twins were happy with their Switch and games. Her oldest threw a fit because she did not get the iPad Pro she wanted. OP told her that she could not afford the iPad Pro but that she got her a similar one. She yelled at her mom, calling her the worst mom ever and saying that she misses her dad.
OP told her that if she misses her dad so much, she should call him. OP told her that she needs to understand that her father isn’t around anymore and that it is now OP’s job to take care of her. She also emphasized that money is scarce. OP said that if this is the attitude she is going to get for making sure she got something for Christmas, she was going to return the tablet.
Her daughter started to cry and ran upstairs. The next day, OP returned the tablet to the store.
The Masses Weigh in
The online community was split on their opinion on this one.
One user said, “Don’t fall for that bait. She’s p*ssed because she didn’t get an iPad Pro, period. If she had gotten it, Dad’s name would have never come up. She’s being spoiled and tried to use her father as a weapon.”
Another said, “Spoiled? Nah. She’s grieving and was just abandoned by her father. She needs compassion and understanding. Teenagers have outbursts. It’s what they do. They’re having hormone fluctuations and are still learning effective ways to cope. This particular teenager also has extra going on. This was just cruel.”
Another user said, “Wdym “nah” she’s not spoiled? She’s throwing a fit because she didn’t get what she wanted. That IS spoiled. That doesn’t mean she can’t be going through a lot, either. OP’s response was cruel, but they did the best they could.”
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Inspired by this thread – Images for illustrative purposes only.
Claire started Femme on FIRE after struggling with the debt cycle and realizing that she had to create better habits to get out of it. She became inspired along this journey and now strives to help others achieve financial freedom as well. When she isn’t working on her blog, you can find her on the couch with a good book, cooking up recipes in the kitchen, or playing outside with her ducks.