19 Y.O. Redditor Asks If She's Wrong For Being Angry With Her Mom For Throwing Out Her Special Teddy Bear

"If you're too old to have a stuffed animal, then you're too old to be grounded."

Stephanie

• Published in Interesting
• June 7, 2023

Every child has a toy that they love more than any other. Whether it's an expensive toy car with flashing lights or a ratty old doll that's falling apart, our favourite childhood toys hold a special place in our hearts.

So, it's not unusual to want to hold onto our special toys, even as adults. And, as Reddit user u/Automatic-Smile- recently found out, it can be devastating to lose such a beloved toy.

The Redditor shared her story in the AITA (Am I The A**hole?) subreddit. She explained that she is 19 years old and currently finishing up her first year of college.

The OP says that when she was nine, her first childhood friend gave her a white teddy bear with a black dress and a bow on its ear. She always treasured the bear and kept it on her bed, even taking it with her when she went on vacations.

The OP says her family knows how important the bear is to her, especially now that she has lost contact with the friend who gifted it to her. So, when the OP noticed that her bear was missing, she searched for it everywhere.

The Redditor asked her sister if she had seen it, but she hadn't. So, she asked her mom if she knew where the bear was.

The OP's mom told her that she "threw it away." The Redditor frantically ran to the garbage and started searching until she eventually found the bear.

The teddy was filthy, covered in liquid, and smelled terrible. Understandably, the OP was devastated, and she yelled at her mom for throwing the bear away.

The Redditor's mom told her she was "too old" to have stuffed animals. But it wasn't the first time the OP's mother had thrown out something important to her.

When she was in fifth grade, the OP was given a red jacket by her grandmother, which she loved. And sadly, her mom got rid of it when she was in middle school.

The OP desperately tried to clean her beloved teddy bear, but it just wasn't the same anymore. She was furious with her mom and screamed at her, crying and slamming doors.

But instead of apologizing, OP's mom called her dad, who grounded her for throwing a tantrum. He even took away her laptop as punishment.

The OP says her family is angry with her, so now she is wondering if she is the a**hole here. Keep scrolling to see how people reacted.

The OP asked if she's an a**hole for causing a scene when her mom threw away her teddy bear.

The OP explained she was given the teddy bear 10 years ago by her first childhood friend.

She says it's not the first time her mom has thrown away a sentimental item.

When the OP noticed her bear was missing, she asked her mom who said she threw it away.

The OP looked through the garbage and found her bear covered in liquid and gunk.

Understandably, the OP was devastated. But later she was grounded for throwing a tantrum.

Now the OP is wondering if she overreacted.

Here's how people reacted.

"If you're too old to have a stuffed animal, then you're too old to be grounded."

"That's cruel."

Time for a trip to the stuffed animal hospital.

"I would be upset too."

"She hurt you."

"Your family is an AH hands down."

"Your parents sound wack."

"Your mom has no right to throw away your sentimental things."

"You deserve to have your belongings respected."

"I don't think it was just about the teddy bear."

"It shouldn't matter what you have in your room."

"You got punished for being hurt."

"You didn't overreact."

What's your take on this situation? Do you think the OP overreacted or was her mom out of line for throwing out the bear when she knew how much it meant to her?

We would love to hear your opinions on this. You can share your thoughts with us in the comment section.

Stephanie