Page 3 | AIBU to think a birthday scratch card win was harmless fun?

stargirl27 · Today 17:06

Troublein · Today 17:05

I don't think it's the end of the world, but I don't understand why you can't allow your child to be a child for the very few years she has left.

She has the rest of her life to do adult things, and so very few years to be a child.
Why are you teaching her that only adult things are fun?

You have positively reinforced the idea that fun comes from gambling as she has had a taste of winning this way.

Would you buy her a vibrator at her age?
I see it as an equally adult thing and I think you should leave adult things to adults.

The law has decided children should not be gambling, you are teaching her to flout the law for no real gain.

It's a little thing, but the breakdown of society starts with the little things.

If you have seen the state of our country, where the price for raping your little girl was recently set at £26 by a judge, you'd know this is not a society where it's safe to be a little girl already.

God, what a completely weird thing to say.

EatMoreChocolate44 · Today 17:07

Your friend is being unreasonable. I'm a primary school teacher and we do raffles in school all the time for toys, Easter Eggs, prizes etc. My own kids help me and my DH pick lottery numbers now and again.

MCF86 · Today 17:07

I categorise scratch cards in the same was as fruit machines (pp comparison doesn't work, the tombola at the fete has an end point and people can't easily throw away a months rent in a day using one!)
I don't like sports betting much either but at least then there is a hobby in it with studying form etc even though theirs no guarantees of course.

That said, I wouldn't be commenting like your friend has because that's your decision!

Tootiredforthis23 · Today 17:09

My mum puts one in everyone’s christmas stocking, including the grandkids who are all under 10. It’s harmless, the most they’ve ever won is £5, usually they just share what they’ve won and buy some sweets or something. It’s no big deal, just the same as how they would let us pick a horse for grand national or pick lottery numbers. Out of the 4 of us none of us gamble at all.

If one of my kids ever won the top prize, which is a really low chance so it’s never going to happen, obviously I’d put it into savings for them, I would have them split it with their siblings though, it’s literally just chance and it wouldn’t be fair to have one with 100k or whatever in savings.

Nicelynicelyjohnson · Today 17:10

Troublein · Today 17:05

I don't think it's the end of the world, but I don't understand why you can't allow your child to be a child for the very few years she has left.

She has the rest of her life to do adult things, and so very few years to be a child.
Why are you teaching her that only adult things are fun?

You have positively reinforced the idea that fun comes from gambling as she has had a taste of winning this way.

Would you buy her a vibrator at her age?
I see it as an equally adult thing and I think you should leave adult things to adults.

The law has decided children should not be gambling, you are teaching her to flout the law for no real gain.

It's a little thing, but the breakdown of society starts with the little things.

If you have seen the state of our country, where the price for raping your little girl was recently set at £26 by a judge, you'd know this is not a society where it's safe to be a little girl already.

Would I buy a vibrator for my child?

I think you need to start a new thread.

Nordic89 · Today 17:11

Fidbdfb · Today 16:34

She is 13.

Edited

I wouldn't get a child a scratchcard. You have now shown her that you can win a good amount (for a kid) and she may wish to replicate the win. Its the gateway gamble isn't it? I know as I have familial experience, and its not the path you wish to go down. Its not even extreme to liken it with chasing the dragon and the high she wants to repeat by gambling more. Age limits are there for a reason.

FoodieFoodFood · Today 17:13

Troublein · Today 17:05

I don't think it's the end of the world, but I don't understand why you can't allow your child to be a child for the very few years she has left.

She has the rest of her life to do adult things, and so very few years to be a child.
Why are you teaching her that only adult things are fun?

You have positively reinforced the idea that fun comes from gambling as she has had a taste of winning this way.

Would you buy her a vibrator at her age?
I see it as an equally adult thing and I think you should leave adult things to adults.

The law has decided children should not be gambling, you are teaching her to flout the law for no real gain.

It's a little thing, but the breakdown of society starts with the little things.

If you have seen the state of our country, where the price for raping your little girl was recently set at £26 by a judge, you'd know this is not a society where it's safe to be a little girl already.

What an odd thing to say.

Thindog · Today 17:13

I think it's fine, life is all about probability and odds and a little gamble is a way to learn about it.
Buying Premium Bonds for children is considered perfectly ok, so is buying Insurance. Both are forms of gambling.

BunnyLake · Today 17:14

Troublein · Today 17:05

I don't think it's the end of the world, but I don't understand why you can't allow your child to be a child for the very few years she has left.

She has the rest of her life to do adult things, and so very few years to be a child.
Why are you teaching her that only adult things are fun?

You have positively reinforced the idea that fun comes from gambling as she has had a taste of winning this way.

Would you buy her a vibrator at her age?
I see it as an equally adult thing and I think you should leave adult things to adults.

The law has decided children should not be gambling, you are teaching her to flout the law for no real gain.

It's a little thing, but the breakdown of society starts with the little things.

If you have seen the state of our country, where the price for raping your little girl was recently set at £26 by a judge, you'd know this is not a society where it's safe to be a little girl already.

Ew, why would you even go there 😬

As well as being allowed a bet on the Grand National we used to go the penny arcades on holiday armed with a pile of pennies. None of us became gamblers.

And we used to help do the ‘pools’ each week.

lornad00m · Today 17:14

Fidbdfb · Today 16:30

It was my daughter’s birthday this week, and I got her a scratch card just for a bit of fun.

She ended up winning £100 from a £5 card.

I mentioned it to a friend, but she felt quite strongly that she’d never let her child do anything like that, as she sees it as gambling.

It felt a bit over the top to me, to me it was just a harmless bit of fun for a special occasion....

Is she being over top?

I think it's illegal for anyone gifted a scratch card under 18 to redeem a prize if they win?

Nordic89 · Today 17:15

Fidbdfb · Today 16:45

Of course, it’s her £100!

I’d have been happy for her no matter what she won. If it had been £5,000, I’d have suggested putting it aside for something she might need in the future, like a car. And if she’d won the top prize, I’d have encouraged saving it towards something big, like a house.

I only buy scratch cards for people I’d genuinely be thrilled to see win, and I truly am so happy that she did!

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She cant win the jackpot. You would have to claim it. Shes too young

PrettyPickle · Today 17:15

When I invite people over for a meal at Christmas, they get a cracker type thing with a scratch lottery card in too as a bit of extra fund and as a talking point. Obviously I see no harm in it as the expectation is that nothing more than a few quid would be won.

But in fairness, the more I think about it, and I know the chances are slim, what if one of those kids won £50,000, parents would need to manage it and would it give the wrong signal to kids.....ooh you have me thinking now.

ohyesido · Today 17:15

It’s not gambling if all she did was scratch off the panels.

don’t tell the shop or anyone official that you bought it specifically for her though, I’m sure I’ve heard of winnings being rescinded because the card cannot be purchased on behalf of minors

grumpygrape · Today 17:15

BunnyLake · Today 17:01

When I was young my dad would let us each put a small bet on the Grand National every year (back in the early 70s). One year I won! I got one of those big £1 notes and I remember I couldn’t stop looking at it as it was the most money I ever had. I bought a maxi dress in the sale with it. I was younger than your dd. I didn’t turn into a gambler!

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C series £1 notes were beautiful 😊

About a million years ago I was at a Point to Point and at 13 (looked older) put 2/6 on a horse called Lamb Chop because lamb is my favourite meat. It came in at 7/1. Obviously I am now a confirmed gambler (not).

She can't go and buy more scratch cards and will know there are more often losers than winners. I think she'll be safe 🤗

StarkandDorky · Today 17:17

I used to put scratchcards in my kids' stockings- they are a bit older than yours. But last year I had a sudden panic- what if one kid won a million and the other didn't, all based on which card I had put where? That would be a disaster. In fact it would be pretty rubbish if one won £1000 and the other didn't- they might well want to share in both cases but that's something you need to agree to beforehand, which they obviously wouldn't do before opening the stockings. So in the end i just did both scratchcards myself and didn't win anything 😂

Sheldonsheher · Today 17:18

I don’t let my kids use the 2p machines in case they spiral into a life long gambling addiction.

Purpleharlow · Today 17:21

Troublein · Today 17:05

I don't think it's the end of the world, but I don't understand why you can't allow your child to be a child for the very few years she has left.

She has the rest of her life to do adult things, and so very few years to be a child.
Why are you teaching her that only adult things are fun?

You have positively reinforced the idea that fun comes from gambling as she has had a taste of winning this way.

Would you buy her a vibrator at her age?
I see it as an equally adult thing and I think you should leave adult things to adults.

The law has decided children should not be gambling, you are teaching her to flout the law for no real gain.

It's a little thing, but the breakdown of society starts with the little things.

If you have seen the state of our country, where the price for raping your little girl was recently set at £26 by a judge, you'd know this is not a society where it's safe to be a little girl already.

Jesus wept.

BunnyLake · Today 17:21

PrettyPickle · Today 17:15

When I invite people over for a meal at Christmas, they get a cracker type thing with a scratch lottery card in too as a bit of extra fund and as a talking point. Obviously I see no harm in it as the expectation is that nothing more than a few quid would be won.

But in fairness, the more I think about it, and I know the chances are slim, what if one of those kids won £50,000, parents would need to manage it and would it give the wrong signal to kids.....ooh you have me thinking now.

Year’s ago a friend of my then bf was asked to buy a card for another friend when he popped to the shops. Friend A gave him a £1 for the card. Friend B brought the card back and it was a £25k win! They had this big fallout because friend B thought they should split it 50/50 because he went down and got it, Friend A disagreed as it was his £1.

I never found out the outcome as I split with bf soon after. 🤔

MrsPapillon · Today 17:22

Troublein · Today 17:05

I don't think it's the end of the world, but I don't understand why you can't allow your child to be a child for the very few years she has left.

She has the rest of her life to do adult things, and so very few years to be a child.
Why are you teaching her that only adult things are fun?

You have positively reinforced the idea that fun comes from gambling as she has had a taste of winning this way.

Would you buy her a vibrator at her age?
I see it as an equally adult thing and I think you should leave adult things to adults.

The law has decided children should not be gambling, you are teaching her to flout the law for no real gain.

It's a little thing, but the breakdown of society starts with the little things.

If you have seen the state of our country, where the price for raping your little girl was recently set at £26 by a judge, you'd know this is not a society where it's safe to be a little girl already.

Fucking hell. From a fun birthday gift to vibrators to child rape to the breakdown of society in one extremely bizarre post! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Thingsthatgo · Today 17:23

I wouldn’t buy a scratch card for a child. There’s a reason why they can’t buy them for themselves.
I got a bit too much of a buzz from low level gambling, like arcade machine and raffles as a child, so a win on a scratch card would have been a slippery slope I think.

IPoopRainblows · Today 17:23

Fidbdfb · Today 16:50

That's life though.

My son will get one on his birthday this year and if he doesnt win then thats just life!

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Exactly.
Every Christmas my sister brings scratch cards for everyone, teens included. We’ve had some big wins over the years, no one is bitter or jealous when someone else wins, that would be utterly childish and if you are going to sulk for not winning then you really should not partake. The only agreement we have is, if it’s the jackpot it gets shared with everyone.

Aleiha · Today 17:24

My DF sometimes buys scratch cards for all of his grandchildren. I hate it. It's giving them that buzz of excitement from gambling at too early an age. It's the wrong message for children whose brains are not fully developed.

Offherrockingchair · Today 17:25

Sounds like MIL - one Lotto ticket a year and it’s a slippery slope apparently 😆

Evilkineavel · Today 17:25

At 13, not wouldn't have. 16 plus, yes, or 18 if that’s the age to buy them, but I wouldn’t have bought them for her underage.

ThatsCute · Today 17:26

I take part in the school PTA raffle each month on standing order. The winners are published in the school newsletter. Should I cancel my standing order and tell the headteacher that we shouldn’t be encouraging gambling with the PTA?