...
By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A dad has been dragged for not returning a $100 bill given to his 7-year-old daughter at a birthday party where "no gifts" was explicitly requested on the invite.
In a post on Reddit's popular r/AmITheA****** sub, user u/theydivideandconquer shared how two guests, Joe and Sue, arrived without a gift as was specified on the invitation.
Read more: Checking Account vs. Savings Account: Which is Best for You?
Read More on Family & Parenting
But when the daughter asked them about a present, and Sue looked over at a pile of small gifts, she hastily improvised a card and added a $100 bill.
"My daughter pulled out a $100 bill and everyone gasped, basically, and of course my daughter was elated," the dad, theydivideconquer, said in the post.
The generous gift seemed to bother Joe particularly: "Joe seemed upset and withdrawn the rest of the party, and Sue acted like this was a completely normal gift," the post said.
Read more: Best Savings Accounts for Kids and Teens
On Reddit the dad asked if he should have returned the gift after seeing the awkwardness and learning how it came about, and in the comments people overwhelmingly told him he should have given back the money.
"YTA [You're The Asshole] for not correcting your daughter when she asked about the gift putting them on the spot," said Evening_Cicada_6189.
While Redditor lavellanlike said: "YTA your kid basically finessed these people out of a hundred bucks and you just let her lol."
Read more: Find the Right Type of Savings Account for Your Needs
Jo Hayes is an etiquette expert, consultant, speech-language pathologist and founder of EtiquetteExpert.org. She told Newsweek that parents play a critical role in teaching children manners and appropriate contexts for giving and receiving gifts.
...
"Parents have a duty to teach their children, from a young age, good manners and common courtesy, in all realms of life," Hayes said. "Birthday parties are a big part of childhood—both hosting and attending. Children should be taught that it is impolite to inquire about gifts and that graciousness in receiving them is paramount."
Hayes suggested a more proactive approach from the parents would have been better in this situation: "The wise approach would have been to explain to the child beforehand that gifts were not expected, and that asking about them can make others uncomfortable," she said. "If a situation arises where a guest brings a gift despite instructions, it's crucial to handle it sensitively and privately, ensuring no one feels pressured or embarrassed."
"I absolutely would have given them back the money and apologized for my child's lack of manners," agreed commenter Open-Incident-3601.
LittleFairyOfDeath added: "You act a lot like none of this is on you. Your daughter asked a rude question and you didn't correct her. Your daughter demanded to open presents and you didn't say no."
Newsweek reached out to theydivideconquer via Reddit for comment.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines