To have made DD give back the vending machine freebie?

[BlowDryRat]

DH thinks I am.

I allowed DD to buy some crisps from the vending machine at the swimming pool after her lesson. I paid for one packet. It dispensed two. I made her give the second one back to a nearby member of staff.

The leisure centre staff look after the vending machines and could restock it, so it would have felt dishonest to walk off with both packs. I wouldn't be bothered if it wasn't obvious who to give it to.

Was I right or a right mean mother?

I bought my sons £100 j U.K. infirm blazer plus sports but and shirts - staff member didn’t charge me for the blazer. He was young and Saturday staff and I didn’t ant him to get into trouble so I went back and waited until he was free and quietly told him that he hadn’t charged me.
He laughed, told another member of staff why I’d came back and then said “Oh, you could have just kept that and saved yourself £100”
They made me feel quite foolish for being honest, lesson learned- I would have kept the crisps. The staff probably ate them.

I think you showed a good example to your child by being honest. Well done you.

YABU and a compete goody two shoes

If I’m to be honest I would have taken both, but you have shown your daughter the right way and should be proud.

Have only read first page! But... You gave back???!!!! Whilst I applaud good morals - I don't support for one second big money earners. Vending machine corporations earn big money! Whilst I'd always be 100% 'moral' with local or even uk government run institutions along with small shops (i.e. non chains) once you hit the big ones like amazon/tesco - I see it as a small win for me!

I would have given it back. To me it would be theft because I wouldn't have paid for it, therefore it wouldn't be mine, and taking anything that doesn't belong to you without the owners permission is theft.

In actual fact if it's dispensed two more than likely someone has already paid and not received the first one. That's usually what happens the machine doesn't quite release the first then releases two. So by returning them to leisure centre staff it wasn't been keeping the machine right. Chances are they don't even man it but if they do the extra item would have already been paid for and it'll just go down as wastage. That's why if I don't get item first try If I have the change I usually put in enough for another and get the two. I'd rather pay for two and get two then pay for one, have nothing and the next person get it instead or indeed in the case here a business who has failed to ensure the machine was packed correctly and able to dispense properly click the extra.

Has a vending machine ever stolen your money? bet it has. This was your payback! I am sorry but your dd did not steal them, she was literally gifted them. Hate to say it but you are one mean mamma

Oooh tricky.

My parents would have made me give them back. As a sort of its important to be honest no matter how big or small.

I'm not sure what I would have done tbh.

I'm quite rules driven and my kids especially DD2 are the same.

In fact we got something the other day and I kept it and I had to explain to them with erm well because this and that and...

DD2 was a bit upset with me.

Depends on so many things! I don't think there's a right or wrong OP.

It's trivial Vs principle of it.

What the hell was the thing the other day?! God my memory is shit.

You’re teach your child to be respectful and honest. Fair play to you.

You sound prim and proper.
I'd have kept it!!

I would have kept it, everyone knows how hungry swimming can make you

@Buttercup54321

You sound prim and proper. I'd have kept it!!

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2317049/Nurse-sacked-sharing-27-free-cans-fizzy-drinks-colleagues-vending-machine-fault.html

Similar story — this woman got a police caution and lost her job (though luckily got it back through grovelling).

This is just ridiculous. You should have kept the crisps 🤣🤷‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Poor little mite. Taking away her little bit of good fortune. That would have been such a happy little memory for her.

My point being that even though most of us aren't going to take on the hassle of reporting a minor vending fault in our favour when we're not going to get any thanks for it, it's technically wrong to take the item you haven't paid for, you can get done for it, and those who are held to particularly high moral standards are expected to forego the "bonus", "freebie", whatever you want to call it, because the law doesn't see it that way. If people want to model high moral standards for their kids, the standards we expect of people like nurses, then I don't think that's "prim and proper".

100% would have kept them! There have been enough times the vending machines have robbed me of my kitkat!

@mussymummy

Has a vending machine ever stolen your money? bet it has. This was your payback! I am sorry but your dd did not steal them, she was literally gifted them. Hate to say it but you are one mean mamma

This right here!

Extra work for the guy over a packet of crisps. That's if he didn't eat or chuck them. Would have been lovely for your daughter, it's not like she stole them.

As PP say, I’ve been shafted way too many times from vending machines, I’m owed a double whammy.

I made DD give the crisps back. I didn't beat her round the head with them while screaming obscenities

It was a tiny moment of good fortune and you sucked all the joy out of it.

I'm with DH on this one. It's a gift from the universe.

You meant well but I'm with your husband.

What did they say to you 😅

Jeeze, you sound just like my mother. She would have said it was stealing.