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Why does this small thing make me so angry?

Thisisnotus's picture

SD 16, SD11 and BD12....we just dropped them at the mall at the request of SD16.... DH told his kids that they needed their own money....SD16 has a job and earned like 600 bucks last week and has a debit card. SD11 has 100 bucks and tons of gift cards......including chick fila.

i gave BD my debit card so she could 20 dollars and I said don’t spend any more than that....excluding her food.

so I check my account.....SD16 has used my card at a store for 8 dollars after using her own gift cards...BD texted me...she’s got over 600 in her own account??!! So they have also used my debit card to pay for everyone’s food and chick fil a for 25 dollars...where SD11 has a gift card .

i am so angry and it’s not about the money.... I gave my debit card to MY kid cause she was the one without money. So her 20 dollars....so far has been over 50.

they all had instructions to bring their own money and my kid had 20 so I guess everyone thinks it’s okay to use my card instead of their own money.

ugghhhhhhh!!!!!!! Never again. For the record I stopped taking skids to the mall ever......because I decided to stop spending MY money on them Since I have 4 of my own kids.....

Jcksjj's picture

I dont think I'd consider using someone else's debit card without permission a small thing - it's theft. At 16 I think she needs to learn a lesson on what the consequences of that can be.

How did she get the card if your BD had it though? Did SD talk her into it?

Thisisnotus's picture

I’m sure she asked BD for it. Skids always have spending money but never ever want to use it...they try and make dadeeee pay.....luckily he holds tight and makes them pay if they have money....as he pays out the a$$ in CS.

dh will never say a word to her about it. 

This sort of thing is the norm. Skids never do what they are told and never have a consequence. But you can bet that my kid is gonna have a consequence for handing over my card....she will never get it again.

Jcksjj's picture

I personally wouldn't be that harsh on BD. I'm sure the 16 year old is intimidating to her at 12. Not saying there shouldn't be a consequence at all or anything or that she should get the card again (maybe cash instead?) but that could be a tough peer pressure situation - older teen plus she lives with her at least part time so theres no avoiding her really. 

Thisisnotus's picture

Gah!! I know this is petty and stupid I have just had a bad day today in blended family land and this finished it off.

i should also mention I just took BD shopping for clothes the other day so that’s why she only got 20.

STaround's picture

Families.  I can understand why the older one has money, not certain why the 11YO has all the gift cards.  Do you and DH share money?  Not certain I would have dad's kids have to spend their own money and not my own if we shared money.   I would have had them eat at home.  

Thisisnotus's picture

Both skids always have tons of gift cards...and cash .DHs step mom hands them out like candy and skids never spend them because someone else usually picks up the tab.

DH and I do not share money which is why I’m so annoyed. It’s that SD16 has a job and still can’t be bothered to spend her own money.

 

 

Thisisnotus's picture

See it’s not even about the money so to speak but the principal. Like if you have 600 bucks why are you asking my dd for MY debit card????? 

tog redux's picture

Aren't you upset with your daughter for handing it over? I'm not clear why you'd give her a debit card anyway (potential for your entire bank account to be stolen), but at the very least, she can't be trusted not to let others use it. How did you know SD was the one using it?

STaround's picture

One explanation may be that the younger girl borrowed money from her stepsisters, and saw this as an opporutnity to pay them back.   It has to be tough being in a family where other kids have more spending money.    Possibly Dad can talk to his relatives about not giving so much money, but putting some in a college fund. 

Thisisnotus's picture

SD16 came home and told me she used my card for 7.00 because she didn’t want to break her 100 dollar bill over 7.00. So she asked my dd for the card.....

my kids might not have there own cash flow and gift cards like skids  but I buy them pretty much anything they want so it’s not really unfair so to speak. I would say my kids get far more in the way of things.

Thisisnotus's picture

My dd texted me immediately to tell me 

it was a spur of the moment thing....baby was crying in the car soo instead of taking the time to hit atm  in the mall I just handed over the card and let the kids out.I’ve done it before I don’t worry about that too much....

tog redux's picture

You should worry. Your BD drops that card in the mall, the wrong person finds it, and your entire checking and savings account is gone.  You can get it back, but not as easily as with a credit card and in the meanwhile, you have no money.

Debit cards are dangerous.

Thisisnotus's picture

I don’t have a savings account linked to this card and there is never more than 500 dollars at a time,otherwise I would worry. Lol

 

beebeel's picture

Yeah...I wouldn't trust my debit card to my 12 year old. Now you know that as well. Surely there was an ATM near the mall.

Thisisnotus's picture

There was. I just had a screaming baby in the car and I was trying to get back home.

Monkeysee's picture

I would take the $8 back from SD. Either DH pays you back for the $8 & the food his kids ate, or you take it back in another way, as in refusing to pay for something for skids until you’ve gotten the money back. Your skids need to know they can’t just take what’s yours because they ‘don’t want to break $100’. Tough.

I’d also make sure to give DD cash next time instead of your card. Your skids should have used their own money they way they were supposed to, but your DD also needs to learn to say no to them & listen to what you’ve said about the card. If it was only meant for $20 spending money and HER food, then she shouldn’t have agreed to use it for them. All 3 kids made mistakes, not just skids. Though I completely understand your frustration, especially with SD being 16. She absolutely should know better. 

SteppedOut's picture

Don't feel dumb about it. Seriously. It IS a bunch of *little stuff that adds up and wears you down.  

"It's only '$x' not that big of a deal" - when you say something about being paid back or that it was *gasp* wrong for skids to do that makes it even worse. 

And, I think you should be able to give your child your debit card for a couple hours without worry at the age of 12. I let my son use my card and never any issues. But, pressure from an older "sibling" is different (and bullcrap, 16yr old knew better). 

Thisisnotus's picture

Yes and I’ve given my card to my kids before with no issues and they still within the limit.

grrrr it just bothers me so much. Then to top it off my card was used for the food at the court.....I’m sure skids just walked away leaving BD12 to pick up the tab. It’s one of those things that skids usually do....like food couldn’t possibly be something they have to spend their own money on.....

and you are right it is all the little things....again SD16 broke her iPhone and needs a new one....she has all this money but no new phone as she is waiting for dh to buy her one.....ummm okay.

Katoglow's picture

My adult SKIDS take money from my DH all the time!! They ALL have jobs, 2 of the 5 work for their dad and their pay is always blurry bc they aren’t hourly. They just work and he gives them money for what they need. They def don’t earn what they receive. When they need a pack of cigs everyday it adds up! It may seem petty to some but to most with skids that are takers, we get it. They have to learn to manage their own money rather than assume it’s there to be taken. Don’t feel bad!

StrawberryPie's picture

Yeah I agree with SteppedOut - I think it's the cumulative effect that wears on you.  Little things are little things until they are all added together and become one giant pain.  

Thisisnotus's picture

Yes!!

Cover1W's picture

SDs are the same here. They get money and gift cards and hoard them, esp SD13. I know she has over $200 on cash at least. DH was wondering to me recently why she never spends it or uses her gift cards. "Because everyone always pays for her DH, why should she?" Silent blinks commence.

Both SDs got bank accounts several years ago too. I think OSD uses hers now but not YSD, it's still at a $0 balance and no one has taught her how to use it. She used to ask but I have no access to it (not a parent!) And I refuse to engage (not a parent!) So she gave up.

I'd make Skids pay me back. There was no agreement they could use your money. 

elkclan's picture

Get your BD her own debit card. You can put money on it or even set up a regular allowance. My son is 12 and he has one. Once the money on the debit card is gone, it's gone. And it's his money which he should be much more careful with. 

Thisisnotus's picture

ah yes, I wish it were that easy. Once skids found out my kids had their own debit card and allowance....they would be begging dadeeeeee to get them one, too. And that would be a firm NO from me. He sends a tons of CS and pays for all sorts of other stuff....no way in hell would they then just be handed money. DH would of course say yes....and get them a debit card and put money on it.....then I would just stop speaking to him......since we do share a child....he cannot possibly hand over his entire pay check to BM and skids.