A mum has been been labelled “selfish” and “stingy” for refusing to buy a $2 snack for her 11-year-old daughter’s best friend at a playdate.
The woman, believed to be from the US, and her daughter Ellie were invited to join 12-year-old Sophie and her mum at an indoor playground over the weekend.
“Sophie’s mum called me… and Sophie wanted to know if Ellie could come and play. She offered to put me on her membership card so it would be free for me so I got Ellie in the car and we met them at the playground,” the mum said in a Reddit thread.
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After an hour of playing, the young girls started to get hungry.
“I packed a snack for Ellie but Sophie’s mum didn’t have any snacks on her,” she said.
“I told her they sell snacks in the front but she claimed that she didn’t have any money on her and asked me to buy Sophie some Goldfish (fish-shaped crackers).”
The mum agreed to grab the crackers — but only once Sophie’s mum transferred the money to her.
“She says she paid for my kid to get in so I could cover the $2 for the Goldfish,” the mum recalled.
“I said no, I took care of my kid and it’s not my job to take care of hers too.
“I told her if she wanted me to bring snacks she should’ve told me when she invited me but I won’t be wasting $2 for a 50 cent bag of Goldfish because she was unprepared.”
Moments later, Sophie’s mum returned from the canteen with snacks.
“She went up to the front and I don’t know if she lied about not having money but she came back with Goldfish and fruit snacks,” she said.
She said Sophie’s mum is now being “petty” for asking her to repay her back for “all the times” she’s used her membership to get a guest pass.
“Now she’s being petty… We’re not getting along,” she said.
“I’m going to have to see her at school drop off and pickup, ballet class, gymnastics class, and the girls weekly playdates so I wanted to know if I was the a****** for not buying her kid a snack? Though they regularly pay for us to join them on outings.”
Her post was met with more than 2500 comments — with many agreeing Ellie’s mum was being “selfish”, “stingy” and “ungrateful”.
“When I pack snacks, I pack snacks for all possibilities of children needing snack. Otherwise, it’s just not nice to let your kid eat something in front of their friends,” one said.
Another suggested: “You were invited to a place for free that you would otherwise have had to pay for. You only packed snacks for your child? Why didn’t you also take snacks for the other child?
“Yes, you did not have to do so, and that child is not your responsibility, but if I was meeting someone for a playdate for my child, not paying to get in, knowing, at some point both girls were going to be hungry, I would have packed snacks for both, as a thank you for the invitation and just because.”
One explained: “As a mum I’m constantly helping other mums with whatever they need: Snacks, wipes, Band-Aids, water and sunscreen. Not just my friends but random folks at the park too. And folks are always helping me out. It’s hard enough raising a kid, we can’t shut each other out. It always comes back around.”
Another added: “Seriously. I don’t even think I could tell a stranger no when it comes to feeding their hungry child, much less a person I know and spend time with.”
One shared: “If someone asked me to transfer them $2, I’m rolling my eyes big time. It’s petty, especially when someone gave you something likely far more valuable.”
Meanwhile, many pointed out the mum’s action will likely lead to Ellie losing a best friend.
“Sophie’s mum picks up the tab for your outings through memberships and guest passes on a regular basis and you can’t spring for $2 for snacks? Poor Ellie, it sucks for her that she’s about to lose a best friend because I promise the invitations to outings and weekly playdates are pretty much done because her mum doesn’t understand reciprocity,” one said.
Another suggested: “You should try and fix this before your daughter loses this friend.”
One added: “Don’t be an idiot. Apologise. You might care about 50 cents. But your daughter will lose her best friend. And that is worth a lot more. Your daughter might never get a friend like that… And the fact that universe gift wrapped a friend for your daughter. And you choose to throw it in the trash. Wow, you are truly a fool.”
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