Ungrateful kid-gutted

[Miladamermalada]

Todays my sons birthday hes 14
Am single mum he had a party got loads of presents.
Wanted an xbox earphones and games. I skint myself to get thes and i mean skint. Ive no food bin bags nothing.
Hes just opened the xbox before anything else and thrown the wrapper on the floor in a strop and refused to speak. Apparently its the wrong one.
I usually take photos as they open presents but im so disgusted Ive come to bed crying.
I must have spent 500 quid.
Never again.
Ive raised entitled little bastards. His brother-also barged in my bedroom demanding to know where his tie was at 06 00. I have chronic illness and said he cant come in but he can knock after 7.
Aibu to ask where i have gone wrong.

MNHQ haven't been naughty, honest!
They posted they OP wants this deleted for privacy reasons so they would be pulling the thread. Clearly that isn't the case so I assume they had posted on the wrong thread.

Am I the only one who's disappointed?

How the hell did you get the wrong one for five hundred quid. If he couldn't play the game he wanted to play he could have said politely. I saw a second hand one in game for 149 pounds I assume it came with a controller. For five hundred pounds I could get a decent hard drive posh controller and headset and a collectible version of a game .

The more I think about what this boy (and his siblings) have been through and live with day to day the more I think it is the OP who is unreasonable.

I'd take the stuff back, put most of the money towards a food shop, which I'd put gift bows on and then make a donation towards a children's charity for those who don't get any presents. I'd show him some info on it, particularly the very emotive photos of children smiling from ear to ear at opening a little notebook and pen, that kind of thing. Then have a conversation about kindness, gratitude and how much things cost. I think it's lovely you wanted to give him a brilliant birthday and I'm sorry you're upset. Personally I think £500 for birthday presents is a huge amount to spend even if you were financially very comfortable. I can imagine teens are so hard to buy for as they tend to like expensive things, you want to make them happy but at the same time not raise them as entitled. Don't beat yourself up.

I'd take the stuff back, put most of the money towards a food shop, which I'd put gift bows on and then make a donation towards a children's charity for those who don't get any presents.

This is a nice idea but money they don't have, not dream spend what you like money. So you'd assume if the Xbox went back it'd be spent on day to day life? And to all the people saying it's so much, yes, but an Xbox is one of those once in a child's life, not to be repeated, if there's one in your house how did it come about (I'm actually wondering this). OP was buying a dream present, maybe your children get it from santa? (Again honestly wondering)

Although actually we got ours half price in a toy shop sale so discount my question, am assuming people get half price or second hand. Sorry!!!

I used to spend around £150 each on my kids for xmas and again on birthdays and, at that time, new consoles were around £150. So my son had the console's that were popular then. The reason they got that is that we have literally no extended family that buy them gifts. So what they got from me was all they got. I imagine that most of the people saying they spend £30 on each event have extended family that also provide gifts. I know a pp said that their child bought an electronic item with money from their parents, GPs and aunts and uncles combined. If you don't have that extended family then what do you do? Either your child misses out or you find a way to get the item. Doesn't mean the kids get everything they want. But what parent wants a child to "never" get what they want?

Same here, Storm4star.

And so it goes on: lots of kids have grandparental contributions for big school trips etc etc. My dcs, now teens, receive absolutely nothing - never any birthday money and no wrapped-up presents - and so dh and I do spend quite a lot at Christmas/birthdays.

Where’s the op?

You obviously love your son very much to go to do much effort with his birthday and he is a stroppy 14 year old who has been through a lot!! Give him the rest of his presents and talk about the whole family pulling together and supporting each other, the no food till next week is fine, none of you will starve, give your kids a few chores that they can manage to take the pressure of you, it’s hard when everything seems to be against you but a tight knit family can help you through anything .

I personally would never leave my household short of on debt for any gift birthday or Christmas

But that’s just me they get four gifts at Christmas yes even my teen
Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear
Something to read

And I think putting what he wants before what he needs is wear you gone wrong

This usually never ends well I seen it with friends who spend £££££ on designer t shits that cost £80 and get told it’s the wrong make or fake ect never had this problem with mine

He was 18 this year got one gift two tickets to wireless festival coast me £120 he couldn’t be happier and a cake

The issue is most parents are up to £500 £600 gifts by the time their 11 so you have. I were to go

In my view a gift should be thoughtful not given for givings sake I never ask my kids what they want but listen to them about their interests and also try and problem solve

So last year when my lad was 17 he just moaned and belly ached about the long walk to work so we got him a bike

Massive bow chained outside his work place boss handed him the keys to the lock in a envelope after his shift with a note £180 well spent one gift paid off over the course of a year money we’ll spent

hows it going OP?

My kids get an orange . I dont agree with over spending. They eat it after they have mucked out the polo ponies.

Presumably it's not the only present they get all year?

justignorethecat what have you been taking! This mum has just spent all her money on his present because she loves him, and then the horrible little shit throws it bs k in her face!

This thread was started in June....