'I returned son's birthday gift, I feel guilty but it was the right thing to do'

09 November 2023 , 11:35

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A mum returned a water table gift because it wasn't suitable for her one-year-old (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images)

A mum has divided opinions after revealing how she returned her son's birthday gift from a relative she doesn't get along with. Worried she may have hurt her grandmother's feelings, the mum explained how she returned the sand/water table because it isn't appropriate for her one-year-old son. She said on Reddit that she'd told her relative that the ones picked out were not suitable for a toddler and sent back her own suggestions.

But her grandmother said she didn't like any of the options the mum had chosen and bought him one anyway – which the mum found was able to be tipped over by her child, so sent it back and reimbursed her grandmother. However, the mum said that on reflection, she was worried she'd hurt her relatives feelings.

The mum said: "My grandma and I haven’t had a good relationship for a few years now. For my son's birthday she wanted to give him a water table. She sent me a few that she wanted to get him and I told her that I didn’t like the ones that she picked out. I sent her a couple that would be a good pick for a toddler and not a cheap product.

"She didn’t like any of those options and said she was still looking for one. When his birthday party arrives she did in fact get him a water table or a beach toy that was half sand, half water and my one-year-old could flip it over by himself and that’s with water in it."

She added that she immediately knew it had to be returned and after "what felt like pulling teeth" her grandmother sent her the return code. She said: "After returning it I feel extremely guilty because I didn’t want her feelings to be hurt but I feel like she wasn’t respecting me as a parent in a way. I told her that her card was going to be refunded and she didn’t reply. Am I the a*****e?

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Other posters were split on whether the woman was in the wrong or not, with one having some succinct advice for her, saying: "Thank her for the gift, and if you can’t return it, donate it."

But another had the opposing view. She said: "I have gotten plenty of gifts I myself would like to return from family members simply because I didn’t like the look or style. This has logic and when it comes to your kiddo you only want toys that are safe. That’s valid. If you aren’t gonna use it why keep it. Unless you have room to store it till kiddo Is old enough to play safely with it."

And another said: "Maybe not the a*****e, but you could have handled it better. Talk's cheap and you could have discussed with her why it wasn't suitable for your child at that age and come to an agreement with her. You wouldn't feel guilty and she wouldn't feel bad."

Paul Donald