To ask what you would think of this interaction?

[LemonSherbetFancies]

Friend took my grandkids out for the day. Kids came home with a small keyring each.
Eldest said friend had bought them yet as friend left, my eldest grandchild said we owed money and it was not actually a gift.
I texted friend with 'Sarah, I'm sorry. Poppy told me about the keyrings. Next time please let me give you cash or tell me about it please. Thanks.'

She replied with 'It was a present, please don't take the word of a child over things like this."

I'd be mortified if one of my friends thought I was holding a debt over a child and using the child to communicate that to their grandparents. She's probably disappointed that you immediately took a child's word for it even though it portrays her in a pretty negative light.

I don't think the text was rude or horrid at all. You apologised and asked her to please let her give you some cash next time if the dc ask for treats Maybe you both worded it a bit clumsily, but you both had good intentions.

I had a similar "disagreement" with my sister when we went to the beach. She took my child off to the toilet and returned with ice creams. I felt bad and tried to insist on paying, told her she shouldn't have, she got annoyed and said it was her treat. It's all rather silly really.

The initial text is rude: doesn't say anything like "thanks for taking them out, they had a great day, what do I owe you for the keyrings?".

I mean "next time let me give you cash"?! Rude!

How old are your grandchildren? Children aren’t always completely reliable about these sorts of things and might have misinterpreted rather than directly been told something.

You both sound bizarrely confrontational. You sounded like you were telling her off; she sounds totally OTT saying ‘Please don’t take the word of a child over this’.

‘Thanks for getting the kids the key rings! Can I give you anything for them?’
‘Oh no, it’s fine - they were a gift’.

That’s how this conversation should have gone!

@WomanStanleyWoman

You both sound bizarrely confrontational. You sounded like you were telling her off; she sounds totally OTT saying ‘Please don’t take the word of a child over this’.

‘Thanks for getting the kids the key rings! Can I give you anything for them?’
‘Oh no, it’s fine - they were a gift’.

That’s how this conversation should have gone!

Nah, she got a rude text, and she’d done a lovely thing, wtf should she be all pleasant in response, because she has a vagina?

How on Earth do you conflate my comment with ‘She should be nice because she’s a laydee‘? I happen to think there’s nothing wrong with trying to be pleasant, especially if it can prevent a minor misunderstanding from becoming something worse. And guess what - I think that applies regardless of what’s in your pants.