10-Year-Old Boy Loses Birthday & Christmas Gift Privileges For Years After 'Accidentally' Spending $300 Of Grandma's Money On Video Games

Dec 21, 2022 by apost team

Nowadays, children as young as ten years old can have access to the internet with a tap of a finger. This common dilemma for parents in teaching their children how to be technologically adept while also striking a balance between internet safety and responsibility has become an aching problem not just for the parents themselves but also for the children, who think that spending a lot of time in the internet at their young age is good. 

In the age of online video games, subscription plans, and e-commerce purchases, buying your favorite things can be as easy as using your fingerprint to buy a $100 dress. While this convenience seemed to be beneficial for many, for parents, this is a double-edged sword because of how easily their children can learn to do things on their own. 

Reddit User Pandalungs, who took to the Petty Revenge Thread on Reddit, explained how he dealt with his 10-year-old nephew, who took online shopping a little too much. 

“As Christmas time rolls around, I still feel petty towards my nephew. My mom lived with me for a few years while getting back on her feet. She doesn’t have much money, but she would always help out her kids if they needed it - even if she really shouldn’t,” he wrote. 

In one instance, one of OP’s nephews asked to borrow his Nintendo Switch console so he could play the online game Fortnite. After enjoying himself playing the popular game, the nephew then asked his grandmother, OP’s mother, for a $10 gift battle pass for the game. 

OP’s mother, with her overflowing generosity, “stupidly” said yes and put her credit card information in her grandson’s account, thinking that it would only be a one-time thing. 

However, that doesn’t seem to be the case after all. 

OP thought that the Online Battle Pass purchase of his nephew would just be a one-time thing, but at some point in the future, another $10 dollar was charged to his mother’s credit card. 

When they asked his nephew about it, the youngster said that it was only “on accident” that another purchase was made. 

“Maybe it’s lack of experience but I find the whole account thing between Nintendo switch, epic games, and Fortnite to be confusing. I tried over and over to delete her card info out of the accounts, but he would always get it back somehow. I don’t think he could have written her info down,” he further explained. 

The purchases continued and even got to the point where a total of $300 purchase was made outside of the time that his mother gave her grandson permission to purchase. When asked about it, his nephew would just repeatedly say it was a mistake and plead to them not to tell his parents about it. 

OP’s mother, unfortunately, succumbed to the pleading and did not tell the boy’s parents about it. However, OP got fed up and texted his brother about the outrageous charges; but after he informed them of his actions, OP realized that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. 

“Told him about all of the charges. My brother has always used my mom for money; including stealing from her. So he acted concerned but really, he couldn’t/wouldn’t pay her back. He brought it back to me. Nephew kept asking to have it back and was apologizing but the answer was no,” he revealed. 

Not getting the response he had hoped for, OP took matters into his own hands. 

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Because of this, OP decided that he would not be getting his nephew the $25-$50 gifts he usually gives during Christmas and Birthdays, so he could pay back his debt to his grandmother. 

It was revealed eventually that OP had not been giving his nephew gifts for two years already, but felt good regardless, as he is now assured that his mother is being repaid one way or another. 

“He could pay back his debt over the next 3-6 years, and I’d make sure she got it since we have some linked bank accounts,” he wrote on Reddit. She still buys him gifts, of course. But she’s being repaid one way or another.”

Reddit users lauded OP for what he did, even saying that his actions weren’t actually petty but quite reasonable for actually teaching his nephew a lesson since his parents clearly do not want to.

“Good one OP. Even better if nephew was made aware of this so he realises his actions have consequences. Also, it sounds like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. His actions is learned behaviour from his dad. How sad. But good on you for doing something about it,” a Redditor shared. 

“Hey this sounds more like being a decent human and guiding your nephew where his own parents will not! Your brother seems to be teaching his child that stealing is okay and that’s not appropriate to teach a child obviously,” another user pointed out.

“You need to be letting him know about it. He has to understand there are consequences so he can learn from this,” someone suggested in the comments. 

What do you think of OP’s solution to the problem? Would you have done the same thing? If it was your child who did it, what would you have done differently? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones!