My dd and my friend's dd (both 3) both attend a weekly activity. In advance of the last class before Christmas (today) parents were offered a chance to purchase an achievement award for a couple of quid to be presented to their child during today's session. If you didn't pay, your child would leave the session slightly early so they wouldn't see the presentation and know they were missing out.
Me and my mum took my friend's dd today as my friend was working and her child was not called out of the class early so I assumed they'd paid for the award. They had a lovely ceremony - the parents didn't go though which was a shame so we couldn't clap them or take photos, we just watched through the window.
My dd was so excited when she came out but my friend's dd was nearly in tears because she had watched the others get an award and she hadn't got one. The staff had made a mistake - she should have left the session early as her mum hadn't paid for the award. I felt so sorry for her that I asked the staff if I could pay for her to have one. They allowed this and presented her with it and we clapped her as the other children had all left.
Dd watched this and burst into tears because we hadn't clapped her. She was literally sobbing. My mum had a go at me saying I shouldn't have done it - it wasn't my child who missed out so wasn't my problem. She made me feel dreadful and reduced me to tears. I think I have now made my daughter understand what happened and that we are very proud of her but I know I ruined her moment. I really didn't mean to, I just acted out of kindness in the moment, but ended up upsetting my own child by trying to compensate another. I feel sick to my stomach but I can't turn the clock back now.
Was this a huge screw up? (Be kind please)