A mother says she returned her daughter's gift after she suffered a seizure on Christmas Day.
On Reddit, the anonymous woman, 42, from the US, asked for advice from fellow parents on whether it would be unreasonable to get her money back for the gift.
She explained that she has three daughters, 11-year-old twins and a 16-year-old, so money is tight.
The mother had a budget of $500 and so gave her daughter a $160 Samsung tablet instead of the $800 Apple tablet she had requested.
The message read: 'My ex-husband is no longer here to spoil them like he usually does. The divorce was finalized exactly 1 year ago, since then he has changed his number and hasn't even bothered to call our daughters and I as a nurse who works long hours am doing my best to take care of 3 girls.
A mother revealed on Reddit that she returned her daughter's gift after she suffered a seizure on Christmas Day (stock image)
'I'm still doing everything I can to find him because he hasn't paid lately and I'm very busy anyway.
'I asked the girls what they wanted for Christmas. my 11 year old wanted a Nintendo Switch with the latest Pokémon game, and my 16 year old wants the iPad Pro with the Pencil.
'I do my best for my daughters, but unfortunately I have a limited budget and I told them this. I told my daughter that it would be extremely difficult to get an iPad Pro, but I will do my best. At that moment it seemed like we had come to an agreement.
“My target Christmas shopping budget was $500, and since I couldn't afford the iPad she wanted, I bought her a Samsung tablet for $160, so I had to stretch it thin to make sure everyone got presents.
She continued, “Fast forward to Christmas Day and when the girls opened their presents, the twins were happy with their change and two Pokemon games. My oldest 16 had a fit that it wasn't the iPad Pro she wanted.
“I told her I couldn't afford an $800 tablet, so I gave her a really good brand tablet instead. She started yelling at me calling me the worst mom ever and how she misses daddy.
“I told her that if she misses her father that much, she should call him, knowing that phone number is currently disconnected. I told her that she needs to understand that her father is no longer here, and that I have to take care of her and her sisters alone and that money is very scarce.
'I can only do so much. If this is the attitude I get for making sure she gets something for Christmas, I'll give the tablet back. She's old enough to get a job anyway.
She concluded: 'My daughter burst into tears and ran to her room. We haven't spoken much since the incident.
'The next day I took the tablet back to the store and that was the end of it. Despite my eldest acting like a complete spoiled brat at Christmas, I felt like I should have been more understanding of her situation as her father and I recently divorced and it must have been more difficult for her and her sisters, especially since father disappeared.”
The post divided opinion, with some users defending the mother and believing the daughter “deserved the lesson.”
One person said: 'She's 16 not 2, I know literal toddlers who understand the concept of 'can't buy what we can't afford'. She acts like a spoiled brat and since she is 16 she should understand and know that they are. now a single income household and given the situation was lucky to even get a cheaper brand of tablet.
'She wanted an expensive iPad with the accompanying pen, which would probably cost around $1000 (not sure of US prices)'
Another said: 'I agree with this. I would have returned the tablet too. Was OP harsh in what she said about the father? Yes, but…..that's the reality, and a 16 year old is old enough to hear the truth IMO.'
Someone else wrote: 'NTA. If she whines about not getting what she wants, she won't get anything. 16 is WAY too old to be throwing tantrums over Christmas presents. All these YTA comments defending her baffle me.”
While others felt that returning the device was 'too harsh' and that she should have given her daughter time to calm down.
One person wrote: 'Agreed, and I think giving the gift back completely was quite callous. I think I would have kept it, but until my daughter showed some appreciation for the situation, she wasn't going to get it back.”
Another said: 'I agree. OP, you have to remember that she is a child. She has no experience with budgeting for a household.
“She doesn't think in terms of 'if I got the iPad, we wouldn't be able to pay our bills this month.' She is a child and focused on her own wishes. I understand that you felt hurt by her behavior, but I think you have to look at where she comes from and respect everything she's going through.”
Someone else said, “You guys are 16 and understand what is disrespectful but lack the emotional decision making capacity to understand how to handle everything she is dealing with. Her father just ghosted her.
'Yes, she deserved a reality check. A simple one: I'm sorry you're hurt, I know you're disappointed, but the way you're behaving is not acceptable. I'm here for you and I'll do my best. You are welcome to look for a job and see how hard it is to make money. I will pay this amount to your tablet.”
