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I need so parenting advice please šŸ™

119 replies

Blueberryancakes · 24/05/2024 16:48

Last day of term and I said I’d give my daughter Ā£10 as a treat to spend in the toy shop.
She came out of school and also asked for a cake at the cake
shop and I said ok.

At the toy shop she was upset that I wouldn’t spend Ā£20 on a toy. I explained we only had Ā£10. She chose a toy for Ā£10 all the way home she sulked and cried because it wasn’t the Ā£20 one.

Im really pissed off with how ungrateful she was. So I told her she wasn’t having a cake.

Shes now in her room screaming, stamping her feet and making herself sick

am I in the wrong going back on my word buying her a cake?

OP posts:
ILoveYouItsRuiningMyLife · 24/05/2024 19:25

And it's not a good idea to use food as a reward or punishment, as that approach can lead to disordered eating

I can see that this might apply where a child has food withheld from them as a routine punishment for bad behaviour eg sent to bed without dinner sort of thing, and they are going hungry as a result. But I don’t buy for a second that it extends to treats like being taken for cake. That’s not the same thing.

NeedToChangeName · 24/05/2024 19:22

You offered £10 in the toy shop and a cake, so I feel you should have adhered to that

And it's not a good idea to use food as a reward or punishment, as that approach can lead to disordered eating

I also think that, having imposed a punishment, you should stay firm. It's not good for a child to think that they can wear you down by screaming and sulking

Tricky. Not sure what's best

Flossyts · 24/05/2024 19:21

If my 9 year old did that he wouldn’t get the cake or toy and there would be a further punishment like an electronic ban when we got home. There would also be some budget related conversation. My 3 year old wouldn’t sulk about not getting the toy he wanted.

we are very consistent in our house - yes always means yes and no means no. No amount of sulking would result in us changing our mind.

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 19:17

ā€˜She needs to feel guilty and ashamed of her ungrateful she has behaved’

This is wrong just so wrong.

Children do not need their loved ones to make them feel guilty and ashamed! WTF!

Guide them in expressing their emotions in a way that allows others to understand how they feel. She has a right to feel upset and disappointed! Everybody does. Whether that is justified is subjective.

MsLuxLisbon · 24/05/2024 19:16

lipglossandmascara · 24/05/2024 19:13

"Telling her off" or simply punishing/ grounding/ confiscating is a waste of a huge valuable lesson of growth to her right now.

I would wait til she's calm and then make her listen to how bitterly sad and disappointed she has made you. If you cry or show emotion, that's a good thing.

She needs to feel guilty and ashamed of her ungrateful she has behaved.

Let her learn through feeling genuine remorse rather than just another punishment which will drive a greater wedge between you without actually teaching her anything.

Oh good lord. What utterly ridiculous advice. You think that the OP should stage a crying fit to manipulate her daughter into apologising!? For behaving like a normal nine year old? Ok, so she was a little bratty and ungrateful, for sure. But this level of drama is just absurd.

lipglossandmascara · 24/05/2024 19:13

"Telling her off" or simply punishing/ grounding/ confiscating is a waste of a huge valuable lesson of growth to her right now.

I would wait til she's calm and then make her listen to how bitterly sad and disappointed she has made you. If you cry or show emotion, that's a good thing.

She needs to feel guilty and ashamed of her ungrateful she has behaved.

Let her learn through feeling genuine remorse rather than just another punishment which will drive a greater wedge between you without actually teaching her anything.

MsLuxLisbon · 24/05/2024 19:12

LifeExperience · 24/05/2024 19:07

It's not about the money. 9 is way too old to be throwing a strop. She needs strong consequences for her outrageous behaviour.

'Outrageous behaviour'? She threw a strop, she didn't burn down the school. Get a grip.

Createausername1970 · 24/05/2024 19:08

I would let the tantrum run it's course and go in with a hot chocolate or similar and say something like "I am sorry you got upset, but I don't have £20 today. I had £10 and that is what we agreed to. I don't have a magic purse that can make money appear. It's no different to when you spend all your money. There is no more".

That could go two ways. Either she has calmed down and apologises. Or she kicks off again.

If it's the former, then I would praise her for acknowledging she was in the wrong and suggest she comes down stairs and we make a plan to buy some cake tomorrow.

If she kicks off again, I would leave her to it.

LifeExperience · 24/05/2024 19:07

It's not about the money. 9 is way too old to be throwing a strop. She needs strong consequences for her outrageous behaviour.

Screamingabdabz · 24/05/2024 19:06

I think you went in too high… why a toy for the end of term? It’s only a week off.

Mammma91 · 24/05/2024 19:03

You’re doing the right thing by standing your ground OP. Once she’s calmed down explain why there is consequences to her actions and in the future should she behave that way there will be further consequences and no more treats until she sorts her attitude out. 9 year olds are hard work - I have younger children but my sister also had some time of it between the ages of 8-10 with my DN. She’s not a bad child, just having big emotions and doesn’t know how to process them.

HcbSS · 24/05/2024 19:02

Blueberryancakes · 24/05/2024 17:37

Im not buying her cake while she’s having a tantrum

tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start

Fan of ā€˜gentle parenting’ by any chance?
Why are you desperate to make amends. Her behavior was vile. She can have the cake if and when she learns to behave. That my be tomorrow or may be the 10th of never.

HcbSS · 24/05/2024 18:59

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 24/05/2024 16:51

Of course you can’t act like a spoilt brat and still get cake. Stand firm Op. disgraceful behaviour from a 9 year old.

I would have said no toy at all neither if she is going to behave like that. She’s 9, not 3. Time to grow the heck up. What a great start to half term!

Smartiepants79 · 24/05/2024 18:58

That level of ungrateful sulking would have resulted in the toy being returned to the shop asap if she was mine.
Hold strong, you have of course done the right thing.

3teens2cats · 24/05/2024 18:56

I think you are making a massive deal over this. You didn't give in and get her what she wanted, that's great, if you consistently never give in to those kinds of demands she will learn. She was angry, that's okay. She is allowed to have feelings.She won't understand the value of £10 in relation to your current bank balance because that's not her job to know that, she's a kid. From then on it's about how BOTH child and adult handle their respective feelings. Mum feels unappreciated, daughter feels cross. As the adult you need to model how to cope with negative emotions, not fuel arguments and escalate situations because you need to punish. You had planned cake before this even happened so could have carried on with this if she had calmed down by that point. It seems she wasn't able to calm herself, so the logical next step is to just go home. Now just drop it. Give her a big hug and then forget about it. Be the adult, be the bigger person and ask her if she needs some help to calm down. A hug, breath with her etc.

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 18:51

Crumpleton · 24/05/2024 18:48

Yes, only the OP does know the answer, but you went a head and assumed it's because she's "in poverty", not because she may of had other expenses at this time.

Still hey look on the bright side.
If only poverty for everyone was solved so quickly.

I literally said she ā€˜didn’t state’ she was in poverty to another poster saying ā€˜Ā£20 was a lot of money’. I’m not sure what you are trying to say? Are you agreeing with me? It seems like you are but you don’t actually realise you are?

Crumpleton · 24/05/2024 18:48

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 18:39

OP’s reply was that no negotiation upgrading to a Ā£20 toy could be made til the following week whether this was a boundary or budgeting only OP can answer. The advice given was to compromise which OP said she could not financially accommodate on that day. Ā£10 is a lot of money to waste on a toy that brought misery and disappointment and negotiating a Ā£10 upgrade for a Ā£20 toy if it was financially feasible would have at least not been a total waste of money, time and effort. Again, OP asked for parenting advice the fact is she is not interested in advice only platitudes that her parenting is exemplary.

Edited

Yes, only the OP does know the answer, but you went a head and assumed it's because she's "in poverty", not because she may of had other expenses at this time.

Still hey look on the bright side.
If only poverty for everyone was solved so quickly.

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 18:39

Crumpleton · 24/05/2024 18:31

So you take that as OP is in poverty?

I suspect there's many people out there that feel £10 is a lot of money but aren't all "in poverty"

OP’s reply was that no negotiation upgrading to a Ā£20 toy could be made til the following week whether this was a boundary or budgeting only OP can answer. The advice given was to compromise which OP said she could not financially accommodate on that day. Ā£10 is a lot of money to waste on a toy that brought misery and disappointment and negotiating a Ā£10 upgrade for a Ā£20 toy if it was financially feasible would have at least not been a total waste of money, time and effort. Again, OP asked for parenting advice the fact is she is not interested in advice only platitudes that her parenting is exemplary.

Crumpleton · 24/05/2024 18:31

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 18:23

OP literally states,

ā€˜Ā£10 is a lot of money for me and I felt I was doing a nice thing’.

So you take that as OP is in poverty?

I suspect there's many people out there that feel £10 is a lot of money but aren't all "in poverty"

Aria999 · 24/05/2024 18:30

Hugosmaid · 24/05/2024 16:55

At 9 she is taking the piss. I actually would have turned around and took the £10 toy back so she had nothing

Yes me too.

I recently spent $60 on a Christmas present for DS8 that we had discussed he wanted. When it arrived I think he was in a mood about something and instead of saying thank you he said it was a terrible present.

Back it went to amazon despite pleas and tears. Hopefully lesson learned.

OneLemonOrca · 24/05/2024 18:26

Children don’t understand the value or concept of money.
you could have said you can’t afford to buy it that week but if you wait until next week it can be bought. Then she doesn’t have a toy she doesn’t want

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 18:23

Crumpleton · 24/05/2024 18:19

I'm asking why it's assumed the OP is in poverty...
So your answer is irrelevant to what I'm asking.

OP literally states,

ā€˜Ā£10 is a lot of money for me and I felt I was doing a nice thing’.

Crumpleton · 24/05/2024 18:19

MsLuxLisbon · 24/05/2024 18:17

'An extra £10 on her'? Unless the shop is located in the 1970s, then they presumably take card transactions. If an extra £10 is truly going to blow the OP's budget, she is probably best not spending money on toys in the first place.

I'm asking why it's assumed the OP is in poverty...
So your answer is irrelevant to what I'm asking.

cadburyegg · 24/05/2024 18:19

Whether or not you could have afforded the £20 toy is largely irrelevant - you gave her a limit of £10. You did the right thing not giving in. Some kids push boundaries like this all the time and others are just exhausted at this time of year.

Fatotter · 24/05/2024 18:19

MsLuxLisbon · 24/05/2024 18:17

'An extra £10 on her'? Unless the shop is located in the 1970s, then they presumably take card transactions. If an extra £10 is truly going to blow the OP's budget, she is probably best not spending money on toys in the first place.

I know! Some people just love to twist everything to suit their agenda even if it means leaving a 9 year old in emotional pain and turmoil over a £1 cake!