I (15f) will start out by saying I have very strict parents. I am expected to keep a certain GPA, my parents have specific expectations for how I look, etc etc. One of their rules is that they hate things they deem “childish” which involves owning toys past the age of like 10.
Well I’ve admittedly ignored this rule and still keep my favorite stuffed animal. I lost basically every other toy I owned but I hid this one and they didn’t even know I still had it. My younger brother (8m) ended up finding it while looking for money in my room and decided to blackmail me and said if I gave him money he wouldn’t tell. I did and he ended up telling them anyway.
Long story short I got grounded and they took it. They made me watch them trash it and they dumped gross stuff over it to stop me from being tempted to get it. I asked if I could at least get the money my brother took from me back and they said no and I don’t deserve it. I ended up digging through the trash anyways to get it back and my friend rn is trying to wash it for me while I find a new hiding spot.
Anyway I feel bad for breaking a rule but like I feel like it’s a dumb rule anyway. My other brother (12m) is on my side because our younger brother has done the same stuff to him but for different reasons and he thinks the rule is stupid. I still feel bad for making my parents mad though. AITA?
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I (15f) will start out by saying I have very strict parents. I am expected to keep a certain GPA, my parents have specific expectations for how I look, etc etc. One of their rules is that they hate things they deem “childish” which involves owning toys past the age of like 10.
Well I’ve admittedly ignored this rule and still keep my favorite stuffed animal. I lost basically every other toy I owned but I hid this one and they didn’t even know I still had it. My younger brother (8m) ended up finding it while looking for money in my room and decided to blackmail me and said if I gave him money he wouldn’t tell. I did and he ended up telling them anyway.
Long story short I got grounded and they took it. They made me watch them trash it and they dumped gross stuff over it to stop me from being tempted to get it. I asked if I could at least get the money my brother took from me back and they said no and I don’t deserve it. I ended up digging through the trash anyways to get it back and my friend rn is trying to wash it for me while I find a new hiding spot.
Anyway I feel bad for breaking a rule but like I feel like it’s a dumb rule anyway. My other brother (12m) is on my side because our younger brother has done the same stuff to him but for different reasons and he thinks the rule is stupid. I still feel bad for making my parents mad though. AITA?
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> I broke a rule (keeping a stuffed animal when I’m too old for toys) which made my parents mad and ended in me being grounded.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
Oh my, NTA, I hope your situation gets better love. There is no age for stuffed animals. If they make you happy, get em! I’m sorry your parents treat you this way.
NTA. Your parents are being emotionally abusive. Their actions were needlessly cruel and designed to inflict maximum distress. You have every right to get around their abuse in this completely harmless way.
NTA, I’m 29 and I still have my favorite childhood stuffed animal (along with some newer ones I’ve collected over the years). Nothing wrong with it, your parents are being cruel…. Is there maybe a friend or relative you would trust to hold on to the stuffed animal for you until you are able to move out? It might be safer if it’s out of the house.
I’m 36 and I have stuffed animals. I’m a -fairly- well-adjusted adult 🤷🏻♀️
Why shouldn’t we keep the fun stuff? Cute plushies make me happy, and life is hard enough without making all the nice things ‘childish’.
That’s just a straight up horrible thing your parents did. Cruel really. Hope they’re not surprised when you move out, get your own place, fill it with fun stuff that makes you happy, and they don’t hear from you.
Your parents are giant assholes. Remember this when they want to move in when you’re an adult and they’re old. You know who they are. Never forget.
NTA
NTA. I’m 27 now, and i still own most of my stuffed animals (tbh, I gave them to my daughter now 😂 ~ but that’s beside the point.) .
Your parents are for sure.
Oh girlie I’m sorry for what you experienced. Your parents should have never thrown away your stuffed animal and made it dirty. I hope you are able to clean it. What your parents did wasn’t ok. Their anger is an abusive response. Don’t feel bad that they got angry – you didn’t do anything wrong. Their anger and their ridiculous emotional reaction to your stuffed animal is what is wrong.
NTA at all, your parents are assholes though. Abusive, even, by the sounds of it. It sounds like your parents need help learning how to actually be decent parents, so please reach out to a trusted adult or teacher if you can. This is what Social Services are for.
You shouldn’t feel bad at all. Your parents suck harder than a fucking brand new vacuum. So they have an issue with a 15 year old having toys, but not with your brother being a fucking blackmailing thief? Their priorities are beyond fucked. NTA.
NTA at all!!!
It’s not childish to want comfort from a loved object.
49 and still have the bear my grandparents gave me at 2.
My 27 yo still has their first bear.
My 16 yo also has theirs.
NTA. I’m sorry for you, you deserve a more fulfilling childhood life.
And you and your brother need to sort out that horrible tattletale in the bud. It’s you 3 against the world right now.
Wish you all the best.
NTA I am 43 years old and I have stuffed animals and i have no shame. Frankly I would prefer a 15 year old who liked stuffed animals over things like drugs or alcohol and if your parents knew how bad it could get then I am sure they would prefer that as well.
NTA. your parents are major assholes. like seriously, they suck. i’m a 27yo grown ass man and i sleep with a teddy bear every night. and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. what’s wrong is your parents’ archaic ass view.
ask your friend if they’ll keep the stuffed animal for you until you’re able to move out, i would never trust it to be in the house again.
NTA, I’m sorry your parents are so horrible. 18 is around the corner hun, hang on a little longer.
NTA your parents are cruel.
NTA. Your parents are unnecessarily cruel. Having your childhood toys isn’t going to affect your studies. Destroying something you love though….
I don’t know whether you can seek therapy at this point without your parents involvement, but I’d read up about abusive parenting.
Your youngest brother might be on the golden child path, don’t think that your parents being cruel to you will extend to him, so you might want to keep an eye out.
I’m 38 years old and I have a petnet in the corner of my bedroom filled with stuffed animals, some of them from my grandmother gifting them to me, and she’s been dead since 1996.
You are never too old to have things that make you happy. Childish is not in what you own but how you behave.
Hopefully it gets better for you. But NTA. It’s fine to have things that bring a smile to your face.
NTA- your parents are absolutely out of line and incredibly cruel. Maybe see if you can find somewhere outside of your home to hide it? Like with a trusted friend?
NTA Sounds like your parents are going to wonder why you won’t let them control your life once you move out.
NTA you should be making serious plans for how to get away from your parents and live your own life without needing to rely on them. What a tough situation to be in.
NTA
WTF?
NTA just remember 3 more years(or so) you can go out and buy whatever you want as long as you have the money for it. My wife usually got stuffed animals (or toys) with every grocery run (and fun runs t oo) and we’re 20 years older than you.
I do acknowledge that your stuffed animal obviously is sentimental for you so it’s a little different, just wanted to give you a reminder of what you can look forward to!
NTA.
Your parents sound cruel.
NTA. Your parents are emotionally abusive.