Teenage Son Makes Fun Of Less Wealthy Kids, Mom Takes Away His Expensive Clothes And Car To Teach Him A Lesson
Bullying still remains a serious issue to this day, despite the numerous social programs and campaigns that are pushing away the tide of abuse among children.
And while everyone is responsible for fostering an environment without bullying where kids are safe at school, it’s the parents that are often most responsible for dealing with the issue.
Which is exactly what this one mother did with her son who bullied those coming from families that aren’t that well off compared to his own.
More Info: Reddit
While bullying is a universal problems, it’s often the parents who end up trying to solve the issue
Image credits: alinafashionshop (not the actual photo)
Reddit user u/throwawayaghkuh shared a story of hers with the Am I The A-Hole community, asking just that: was she wrong for making her son give up his “signifiers” of wealth at school because he was poking fun at other kids for being less wealthy?
The story goes that the single mom (dad’s not really involved too much, but pays child support) one day found out from the school administration that her son was bullying others for being poor.
And this mom did, sharing her story of trying to teach her son a lesson about why it’s not cool to bully others
You see, she was well off, and there was child support on top of it, so the kid really had something to show in school regarding clothes and whatnot. So, to teach him a lesson, the mom decided she’d take it all away.
Instead of wearing designer brand clothes, he was now thrift shopping. Instead of being driven to school in the regular Porsche/Jaguar, he was now taken in a ’92 Jeep that had seen better days. Instead of being bought personal sports equipment, he was now supposed to use the club’s things. You get the idea.
All of this was to teach the kid that he is just lucky he was born into a well-off family, and making fun of someone who just happened to be less lucky is just plain mean.
Needless to say, the kid wasn’t happy about it. He lost his status among friends, so much in fact that the parents of his friends didn’t want their kids to enter the beat-up Jeep because of how supposedly unsafe it was. “It was embarrassing for him to pretend he’s poor,” explained the mom.
And the dissatisfaction didn’t end there, as word got around and suddenly the dad showed up, saying that the punishment was not fair because “impressions matter” and that will affect the rest of his life.
This is where she asked the internet to explain if she’s in the wrong here. And the general consensus was that she wasn’t wrong. While it was unclear how long the punishment lasted, people thought it was an appropriate way to punish the child all the while teaching him how it feels to be called poor.
Image credits: throwawayaghkuh
And the dissatisfaction didn’t end there, as word got around and suddenly the dad showed up, saying that the punishment was not fair because “impressions matter” and that will affect the rest of his life.
This is where she asked the internet to explain if she’s in the wrong here. And the general consensus was that she wasn’t wrong. While it was unclear how long the punishment lasted, people thought it was an appropriate way to punish the child all the while teaching him how it feels to be called poor.
The internet was of a general consensus that the mom did the right thing with her chosen punishment
The post received a modest, but significant amount of attention as AITA posts go, garnering over 11,000 upvotes with a good handful of Reddit awards—over 80.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think her punishment was too harsh, not harsh enough, or just right? Let us know in the comment section below!
101Kviews
Share on FacebookThe woman isn't the A-hole, but the father is. Teaching your kid that it's pure chance that you get born into a wealthy family is very important. It's not your merit nor your accomplishment. The father shouldn't tell his son that outward appearance is of the essence. Although it may seem that you can buy friends, in reality you'll end up either very rich and very lonely or very poor and very lonely.
I was a little shocked by this, too. "Making an impression" with someone else's money is not something you want to teach a kid to do. If he wants to make an impression, he can quit acting like an entitled little toe rag and start behaving like a human. ...///... I'm wondering if the problem is the school he's in. Perhaps a transfer to a place that requires everyone wears the same uniform would help reinforce the lesson.
Load More Replies...agree... for someone who has a porshe, a jaguar and a jeep she has her feets on the ground and not acting like a Karen
Load More Replies...Short answer here is: HE is not rich, his parents are. If his parents were to cut him off (which the mother rightfully kind of is in a way) he is no longer rich. He should have to earn his precious riches. Make him get a part time job, make him do chores, etc. Hell, maybe even make him pay towards bills/grocery shopping etc... this may have him learn the true value of money and that it's not all about wasting it on the nice things
I'm amazed the father has the gall to butt in, since he barely sees his son. Dad can butt right out, too.
I think the suggestion for him to get a job is a good one. Have him earn his nice things. Then he can see the value of them and maybe still get some of what he wants. Heavy punishments often just push a child away, making them resentful and rebellious rather than teaching a lesson.
If he gets resentful and rebellious is because she didn't start with this spoiled brat early enough
Load More Replies...I wonder if he will actually learn the lesson that she is trying to teach. I hope so, but I picture this kid pouting and being bitter about it.
If she really wants the lesson to sink in, she should tell him to get a part-time or summer job, and buy some of the luxuries he's missing with money he's earned himself. Nothing will teach him the value of money better than than finding a week's hard labor won't pay for the high-tech tennis racket he wants!
Load More Replies...I totally agree with her concern and think almost all of the changes she made are spot on. The vehicle without doors is a bit far for me. I get that she has a goal of him not flexing his parent's luxury cars and it's not reasonable to just go out and buy a superfluous modest car. The Jeep is what she has that is not luxury. It's old. Great. It has jacked up paint. Great. No doors. That's a bit of a safety issue. As far as the equipment for his activities, I could see giving him a way to earn them as a privilege. If it's not an actual part time job (which may interfere with his study and college-resume-building-activity time), it could be stuff around the house. The suggestion other pandas had about volunteering is also excellent.
Yes, the jeep is a bit over the top. A used Corolla or Civic would put the point across and be much safer.
Load More Replies...I think it's great, except for the car. I can understand parents not letting their kids ride in a '92 that has been rolled and is missing doors. I would worry about it holding up in an accident.
I do agree on behalf of the other kids' parents. If it's a real issue, she can get a 15 year-old mini-van and provide the same lesson.
Load More Replies...I can't help myself, but there's something that feels wrong here. I bet this kid didn't just *snap* turned into a bully. When officials want to talk to you about your kid's behaviour, this is mostly the peak of a development. If this is all real, why didn't she/they taught him from the beginning and in a normal way social skills or the 'values of life'? It sounds a little bit like: 'Uuuuuh, my pet is broken. Why is my pet broken? It had such an expensive cage..buhuhuuu(i'm rich)buhuhuuu..' There should have been a little more attention earlier-espacially if you're that priviliged like she said. Kids don't do what you say, they do what you do. This is no offense and I don't blame anyone, ok? Don't kill me..
A lot of kids at that age completely break away from their parents. No matter what values the parents may have taught the kid at an earlier age, if the parents don't maintain the loving connection and communication with the kid, they will just stop regarding them as people who have anything to teach them, and will regard them as obstacles. The primary relationship in the kid's life will be to his friends. This is what he's learning from them. Being punitive won't restore the loving connection or the relationship, by the way. The kid will just think that Mom is an annoying obstacle who is making his life very difficult and getting in the way of his primary relationship.
Load More Replies...This post is basically a dhar mann video in word form
The woman isn't the A-hole, but the father is. Teaching your kid that it's pure chance that you get born into a wealthy family is very important. It's not your merit nor your accomplishment. The father shouldn't tell his son that outward appearance is of the essence. Although it may seem that you can buy friends, in reality you'll end up either very rich and very lonely or very poor and very lonely.
I was a little shocked by this, too. "Making an impression" with someone else's money is not something you want to teach a kid to do. If he wants to make an impression, he can quit acting like an entitled little toe rag and start behaving like a human. ...///... I'm wondering if the problem is the school he's in. Perhaps a transfer to a place that requires everyone wears the same uniform would help reinforce the lesson.
Load More Replies...agree... for someone who has a porshe, a jaguar and a jeep she has her feets on the ground and not acting like a Karen
Load More Replies...Short answer here is: HE is not rich, his parents are. If his parents were to cut him off (which the mother rightfully kind of is in a way) he is no longer rich. He should have to earn his precious riches. Make him get a part time job, make him do chores, etc. Hell, maybe even make him pay towards bills/grocery shopping etc... this may have him learn the true value of money and that it's not all about wasting it on the nice things
I'm amazed the father has the gall to butt in, since he barely sees his son. Dad can butt right out, too.
I think the suggestion for him to get a job is a good one. Have him earn his nice things. Then he can see the value of them and maybe still get some of what he wants. Heavy punishments often just push a child away, making them resentful and rebellious rather than teaching a lesson.
If he gets resentful and rebellious is because she didn't start with this spoiled brat early enough
Load More Replies...I wonder if he will actually learn the lesson that she is trying to teach. I hope so, but I picture this kid pouting and being bitter about it.
If she really wants the lesson to sink in, she should tell him to get a part-time or summer job, and buy some of the luxuries he's missing with money he's earned himself. Nothing will teach him the value of money better than than finding a week's hard labor won't pay for the high-tech tennis racket he wants!
Load More Replies...I totally agree with her concern and think almost all of the changes she made are spot on. The vehicle without doors is a bit far for me. I get that she has a goal of him not flexing his parent's luxury cars and it's not reasonable to just go out and buy a superfluous modest car. The Jeep is what she has that is not luxury. It's old. Great. It has jacked up paint. Great. No doors. That's a bit of a safety issue. As far as the equipment for his activities, I could see giving him a way to earn them as a privilege. If it's not an actual part time job (which may interfere with his study and college-resume-building-activity time), it could be stuff around the house. The suggestion other pandas had about volunteering is also excellent.
Yes, the jeep is a bit over the top. A used Corolla or Civic would put the point across and be much safer.
Load More Replies...I think it's great, except for the car. I can understand parents not letting their kids ride in a '92 that has been rolled and is missing doors. I would worry about it holding up in an accident.
I do agree on behalf of the other kids' parents. If it's a real issue, she can get a 15 year-old mini-van and provide the same lesson.
Load More Replies...I can't help myself, but there's something that feels wrong here. I bet this kid didn't just *snap* turned into a bully. When officials want to talk to you about your kid's behaviour, this is mostly the peak of a development. If this is all real, why didn't she/they taught him from the beginning and in a normal way social skills or the 'values of life'? It sounds a little bit like: 'Uuuuuh, my pet is broken. Why is my pet broken? It had such an expensive cage..buhuhuuu(i'm rich)buhuhuuu..' There should have been a little more attention earlier-espacially if you're that priviliged like she said. Kids don't do what you say, they do what you do. This is no offense and I don't blame anyone, ok? Don't kill me..
A lot of kids at that age completely break away from their parents. No matter what values the parents may have taught the kid at an earlier age, if the parents don't maintain the loving connection and communication with the kid, they will just stop regarding them as people who have anything to teach them, and will regard them as obstacles. The primary relationship in the kid's life will be to his friends. This is what he's learning from them. Being punitive won't restore the loving connection or the relationship, by the way. The kid will just think that Mom is an annoying obstacle who is making his life very difficult and getting in the way of his primary relationship.
Load More Replies...This post is basically a dhar mann video in word form





















266
107