Stepdad refuses to buy 16-year-old stepdaughter $300 shoes and fast food 3 times a week, insists she gets a job to pay for it herself: 'Now my wife and my stepdaughter are upset at me'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jul 28, 2025 8:00 PM EDT

In my opinion, a child, tween, or teenager should be a little apprehensive when asking their parent to buy them something expensive. I know I didn't ask my parents to buy me material things that cost over $100 frequently when I was a kid, even though I knew buying them wouldn't bankrupt us. It's one thing if you need sneakers for gym class, but no kid needs a video game console or fast food for dinner three times a week. Giving in to those demands as a parent will only make a kid worse at creating financial boundaries for themselves when they're an adult. That's how you end up with a 23-year-old with five figures of credit card debt, because Mommy never told them no, so why should they tell themselves no? When I was a teenager, I got a job not because I wanted to save money, but because I wanted to spend $200 on a wig that looked like the hair of my hometown's most famous real estate agent, and that's a lot better than asking my parents for the money to make such a frivolous purchase. 

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  • The teen in this story has no shame, and evidently neither does her mother.

  • 01

    AITA for refusing to buy my spoiled teenage daughter expensive Chick-fil-A, boba, and $300 Shoes and telling her to get a job?

    I 34M have a 16 year old teenage stepdaughter that's become unbearable ever since she got TikTok. She wants Chick-fil-A three times a week, boba every other day, those "aesthetic" overpriced shirts and pants and it's all pretty expensive. She says things like "well my friends dad buys her everything she wants."
    via u/Prestigious-Can5880
  • 02
    Chick-fil-A Chocolate Fudge Brownie 370 cal EXPRESS HEA Spicy Chicken Sandwich or Spicy Deluxe p your day CHECK-IN WAFFLE POTATO FRIES Milkshake & Waffle Pes TTTY
    via Zoshua Colah

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 03
    Yesterday she had a meltdown in the parking lot because I wouldn't buy her a $50 stanley tumbler, saying that instead i'd buy her a $10 tumbler. I told her I dont have unlimited money and if she wants to keep chasing trends, she's going to need to find a job and start paying for her own nonsense.
    via u/Prestigious-Can5880
  • 04
    ALL COLOR NOW HIRING
    via Nathan Sack

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 05
    Now my wife and her are upset at me, but i told my wife I can't let her treat me like an ATM, i get buying her things here and there, but it's out of control. AITA?
    via u/Prestigious-Can5880
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10535764992
    via Bùi Hoàng Long

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 07
    DarlingBloom Desire Nta. She should go get a job if she wants money to throw around, you did the right thing
    via u/DarlingBloomDesire
  • 08
    JohnRedcorn Massage 16 is the perfect age for a first job, both for learning to work and learning the value of a dollar. (Which this brat clearly doesn't understand)
    via u/JohnRedcornMassage
  • 09
    SubWay-Artist My oldest days as soon as he turns 14 he wants me to get him a workers permit so he can get s job to buy the things he wants. If he at 12 thinks like that, a 16 year old can definitely get a job.
    via u/SubWay-Artist
  • 10
    Tight Jaguar 3881 What about her Dad?????
    via u/Tight_Jaguar_3881
  • 11
    TheNinjaPixie The problem is her mum, enabling this attitude. The kids a kid, the mother should be firmly shutting this entitlement down, not doubling down on OP. Man married a mooch
    via u/TheNinjaPixie
  • 12
    Prestigious-Can5880 OP He's out of the picture, doesnt pay a dime. Gets odd jobs to not be charged Child support.
    via u/Prestigious-Can5880
  • 13
    Joubachi Granted your wife has not your but your daughters back and he does not pay for anything, I'd honestly re-think your wife's intentions...... NTA but you don't just have stepdaughter-issues, you also have wife-issues.
    via u/Joubachi
  • 14
    DR-0717 This I agree with. His wife should be with him 100% on this. No way she should be taking her spoiled bratty daughter's side. He's not anATM for either of them. Let mom get a job and buy her that junk.
    via u/DR-0717
  • 15
    KillrBeeKilld NTA but you're still screwed. If her mother won't teach her about money then you have no chance. Start making financial barriers between you and the both of them. Your stepdaughter will drain your balance account for the next 10 years.
    via u/KillrBeeKilld
  • 16
    Own_Ad9686 Good point! Wonder about her mom's spending.
    via u/Own_Ad9686
  • 17
    Icy_Okra_5677 That was my question, as well as mom's employment status
    via u/Icy_Okra_5677
  • 18
    Soul-Arts OP said in the comments that his wife never worked. She is a SAHM to teens.
    via u/Soul-Arts
  • 19
    Icy_Okra_5677 Makes it even worse. she's just as bad as the daughter
    via u/Icy_Okra_5677
  • 20
    Useful-Commission-76 Chick-fil-A and boba tea places are both pretty good about hiring 16 year olds. Does stepdaughter have reliable transportation to get her to and from work and school? Are there jobs within safe walking or bike riding distance even after dark? Friday and Saturday night fast food and restaurant shifts usually end between 11pm and 2am. Safety is a concern. Can stepdaughter use a family car or take Uber to get to and from work? Reliable transportation is essential for getting hi
    via u/Useful-Commission-76
  • 21
    Party-Bumblebee8832 Also at food and drink places they usually either give you free food and drink. Or a huge discount. She can make money and get her stuff while working. Win win situation. Also hopefully teach her about money and respect.
    via u/Party-Bumblebee8832
  • 22
    j-endsville Her getting a job at Chik-Fil-A or a boba shop is a really good way for her to be tired of either one of those after a month.
    via u/j-endsville
  • 23
    No_Raisin6863 So a win win win situation?
    via u/No_Raisin6863
  • 24
    PuzzleheadedGoal8234 ΝΤΑ I pay for the basics my kids need (they are late teens/early adults) but if they want something more trendy outside of Christmas or birthdays they can buy it with their own earnings. If you provide all her wants, she'll never learn to do for herself. Your approach is good parenting. Your wife is wrong on this.
    via u/PuzzleheadedGoal8234
  • 25
    swigbar You don't grow spoiled teens overnight. How did this kid come to grow up like this? Where has the parenting been?
    via u/swigbar

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parents of teens teens family drama teenager teenagers stepfather wife parenting stepdaughter husband raising teens family stepdad daughter mom good parenting
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