No not let him keep the money

[LittleMe03]

I have a 12 year old SS and for many years now we have had this little tradition.

I put loose change in a tub for him and we save it until Xmas, then Father's Day and then his dad's birthday.

3 times a year, a week or so before these occasions we count the money, get it changed at the bank and go shopping together so he can buy his dad a gift from money he has saved, he has always enjoyed doing this.

However we counted the money at the weekend and got it changed and went shopping... he had £32.80 (it's usually somewhere between £25-35) he found a gift for his dad for Christmas which cost £15 so I then asked him what we were doing with the rest of the money, finding another gift or putting it back in the pot. He replied, I think I will just keep it. I told him no and it was one of those two options. He wasn't happy so refused to get another gift so it's gone back in the pot.

We have a brilliant relationship but this has caused a problem between us and ever since he has been really grumpy and stubborn towards me.

AIBU?

I'm not sure if to mention it to my DP or not either

I like FrancisCrawford's suggestion. My DS gets a monthly allowance but in December he foregoes it and uses it to buy stuff for a charity xmas appeal in our city because he knows he's going to be getting presents and doesn't need it. Maybe your SS could do something similar with the leftover cash?

Stand your ground op. He knows the rules about what this money is and what its for. He's just stropping because you're sticking to the rules that have worked perfectly well for the last 7 years.

Could he have been planning to buy a gift for you with it?