Like many his age, a 12-year-old boy was fascinated with building things. Specifically, he liked plastic airsoft guns and model cars that needed to be assembled and painted. He found joy and excitement in this creative hobby and had his eye on a model airsoft gun and car being sold on a website.
He asked his parents if they could buy it for him for $100 but was disappointed when they said no. However, the boy was determined to get both toys, so he worked to earn the total amount.
How Did the Boy Make $100?
The boy, who recounted his story on Reddit years later, worked hard to achieve the money he intended to save. He did several tasks for neighbors for about half a year. He became a dog walker, a lawn mower, and a door-to-door salesman, selling things he created, such as drawings and spears made from sticks.
The young boy tried to open the door and started screaming and kicking.It was undoubtedly a proud accomplishment for him to save $100 due to his hard work and determination. “That day was probably the happiest day of my life,” he recalled, adding, “Up to that point.”
The boy went to his parents, excited to tell them about his accomplishment, and asked if they could help make the purchase. The website required credit card payments, so his parents agreed that they would use their card, and he would pay them the $100 in cash.
However, as soon as the young boy gave the money to his parents, they pretended that the computer was no longer working and that the order couldn’t be made.
How Did the Boy’s Parents Break Their Trust?
Although younger, the young boy was much more familiar with using computers than his parents, and he could tell they were lying. Because of what happened, he asked for his money back from his dad. However, he narrated:
“My [mom] then grabbed the money off of the table and sprinted into her bedroom, and locked herself in the bathroom.”
The young boy tried to open the door and started screaming and kicking. His mom wouldn’t listen and kept the money to herself. She told the young boy repeatedly, “You don’t need this money. I will put it in your bank account for college.” Unfortunately, the boy’s father was in on the scheme and did not help.Instead, he forcefully took his son to his room and made him stay there all day. Without the boy’s prying eyes, the mom could hide the money for safekeeping without the owner’s permission.
Sadly, the boy’s parents never returned his money, and as a result, he never trusted his parents again.
The following day was even more traumatizing for the pre-teen. When his parents unlocked his door from the outside, they pretended like nothing happened the day before. Filled with emotions, the boy began to cry, screaming and asking for his hard-earned money back.However, his mom said she didn’t know anything about the money and accused him of always being dishonest about having money. As anyone would, the boy felt like he was losing his mind. He continued asking and begging his parents to return his money, especially because he worked for months to earn it.
However, they would only accuse him of lying, saying things like “You are trying to steal from us,” “You have a creative imagination,” and “You just want your toys, so you are lying.” Sadly, the boy’s parents never returned his money, and as a result, he never trusted his parents again.Redditors who read the story commiserated with writer, calling his parents monsters. One even advised him to report his parents to the IRS for tax fraud, but it is unsure if he took any action. Others shared their own traumatizing stories involving their parents to empathize with the him.
A similar situation happened to an older girl when her parents stole money from her college fund and used it for her brother’s wedding expenses. Her great-aunt set aside the fund for her college tuition. She eventually sued her parents for what they did.