Woman Urged To Either Accept $160 From Her Ex Towards A $34,000 Car For Her Son Or Not Buy It At All To Avoid Hurting His Feelings

A Redditor recently shared challenging situation she's facing regarding her son's upcoming birthday and the potential gift of a car.

OP became a mother at the age of sixteen when her then-boyfriend and she had a son together. However, their relationship ended when he moved away for college, and he remained an absent father.

After completing his college education, her ex-boyfriend became more involved in their son's life when he moved back. They established a 50/50 custody arrangement, allowing both of them to share parenting responsibilities.

During that period, it was revealed that her ex-boyfriend had not actually graduated from college and had accumulated significant debt due to gambling while he was away.

As her son is about to turn 17 and embark on his senior year, OP is eager to find a meaningful gift to celebrate his birthday this summer.

Despite OP's financial stability and lack of financial struggles, she's aware that her son believes buying a car is beyond their budget.

Here's where the issue arises. OP happened to have a conversation with her ex-boyfriend's sister, with whom she have a somewhat close relationship.

She initially seemed enthusiastic about the idea, but then she expressed her concerns. According to her, buying a car for my son would reflect poorly on her brother, as he does not own a car himself.

In response to her concerns, OP explained that it is not her responsibility or fault that her ex-boyfriend hasn't been able to establish a stable life for himself.

Given these circumstances, OP doesn't see why she should feel guilty for providing a better life for her son when the father hasn't shown a strong work ethic.

After a few days, OP's ex-boyfriend's sister reached out to her with what she called an "amazing compromise."

OP's ex-boyfriend offered to contribute $80, and his sister volunteered to add another $80, making a total of $160.

However, OP declined the offer and informed her ex-boyfriend's sister that she would cover the entire cost herself. This decision upset her, and she expressed her disappointment, referring to OP as a "selfish asshole."

Since she declined her proposal, her ex-boyfriend's sister has called her twice, using offensive language and repeatedly calling her an "asshole."

OP is now asking the Redditors if she is the asshole (AITA) for not allowing her ex-boyfriend to chip in the amount. She wants to know the community's opinion on whether she is in the wrong for rejecting his contribution towards the car purchase.

The Redditors expressed their support that OP is not at fault (NTA) and should assert their right to use their own money as they see fit.

Another Redditor supports the OP's decision and implies that the ex-partner's offer is inadequate and unlikely to fool their son.

More people supported OP's decision to provide a good life for their son and emphasizes that they don't owe anything to the ex-partner or his family.

One of the Redditors suggested that if the ex-partner wants to contribute, they should consider paying for the monthly insurance or buying accessories for the car.