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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

the icing on the f****** cake

62 replies

BrizzleDrizzle · 16/12/2017 07:18

It's been a shit week this week, various reasons but it's not been the finest by a long chalk.

To top it of DD has just been chatting to me about something which she was fascinated by until two days ago. She now tells me that she hates them and she is totally freaked out by them.

Said item is her main Xmas present which I've saved for all year and cost £90. Without it she's got two gifts to open.

AIBU to be bloody pissed off by this?

OP posts:
TheDevilMadeMeDoIt · 16/12/2017 11:19

Hi OP

There's been a lot of media coverage of AI recently, not helped by Stephen Hawking and other prominent scientists pronouncing that AI poses a threat to humans. And the desire to make robots look 'human' is understandable, but it's also a freaky concept.

If she really wants to be an engineer (and at 13 she may well change her mind before university) maybe talk to her about what it is that's spooked her. Let her investigate some of the very thoughtful debates surrounding the subject (this one for instance).

Robots are being designed to provide assistance, and even company, to the elderly, to assist those with disabilities, to make life safer for all of us by performing dangerous tasks.

The ultimate goal of AI is to create machines which think and behave exactly like humans. Yet somehow people fear that this will mean a race of malevolent machines taking over the world and destroying humanity. But if that ultimate aim of human thought and behaviour is achieved, then the logical conclusion is that the machines will have the same range of characteristics that we do. So the majority will be law abiding, helpful and caring, but there will be a few who pose a threat.Which is exactly how the world works now.

Encourage her to explore her feelings of freakiness in more depth, rather than turning her back on the subject. And your present may help her to understand that there are two sides to robotics.

Nousernameforme · 16/12/2017 11:21

DS has been harping on about getting a drone forever.
So I got him one and was absolutely chuffed with myself for it.
Now he doesn't want a drone. I don't know why just he is not "into" those anymore.
Tough, he has other presents and i am sure once he cracks it open he will like it. It would cost £6 to send back then i would have to get another something so I am not doing it.

Greyponcho · 16/12/2017 11:23

She hasn’t been told the plot line to Terminator, has she?
What if you change it and she changes her mind the day after you do so? You know her best, OP, go with your gut

MammaTJ · 16/12/2017 11:35

Sorry but if you are poor then two little presents is more than enough for Xmas.

Oh the irony!! The very irony of that being posted by someone with such an aspirational NN! I dream of a land rover, I hope you can actually afford one, if you are dreaming of one!

Sunnysidegold · 16/12/2017 12:41

Do you think she is testing you out to see if you've got that for her? Like trying to read your response?

UnicornRainbowColours · 16/12/2017 12:43

I bet a little shit at school has been saying there not cool or something!! You know how heavily influenced they are at that age.

LeaveAllThisToYesterday · 16/12/2017 13:06

There have been some odd documentaries about sex robots (or just...very female human looking robots owned by men who kinda worship them...) recently, that's enough to freak me out! But totally different to what you've bought her. I say stick with the present, encourage the engineering interest, but be open to returning/exchanging if she really doesn't want it.

I remember going on at length at about 13 about how awful the Spice Girls were, no one cool liked them etc etc in the car with mum and grandma. Christmas morning, my grandma had got me a load of Spice Girls stuff! I was old enough to say how great it was and to use it all, but it still makes me feel bad - especially years later when mum told me my grandma had bought it the day before and was really happy/excited Blush

apoppetonastring · 16/12/2017 13:16

Have to say, this happened quite a few times with my daughter when she was between about 8 and 12, and it really pissed me off and really stressed me out. She would go on about an item she was desperate for (like early november ish) and I would buy said item (in case it sold out!) and then within a few days of me buying it, she would not be bothered anymore, and would choose/pick something else. Confused

Then it would happen again a few more times. I would end up spending an extra £100! I know I should have taken it back, but some stuff was from the catalogue and ebay. and it was a lot of trouble to return stuff, when I was working and frazzled, and the post office was 4 miles away in the main town and always packed!

Very annoying. No advice OP, except maybe take it back? Or bite the bullet and give it her anyway, and buy her something else too. Not sure of your finances can stretch to another 'main present...'

apoppetonastring · 16/12/2017 13:17

*Not sure IF your finances can stretch......

Original poster
BrizzleDrizzle · 16/12/2017 14:27

She can't have seen it unless she's unwrapped it and wrapped it up again, it's fairly well hidden anyway.

She's getting it and that's the end of it.

OP posts:
Original poster
BrizzleDrizzle · 16/12/2017 14:27

Oh and it's not a gift she has asked for, I thought it would be a good idea given her interests.

OP posts:
Original poster
BrizzleDrizzle · 16/12/2017 14:27

Oh and it's not a gift she has asked for, I thought it would be a good idea given her interests.

OP posts:
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