Insolent mother breaks child's mug, then blames them for failing to take care of it properly: ‘"If you treasure something, you should use it less"’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Jan 23, 2026 6:00 PM EST

When this mother refuses to take accountability for something she's done, her child decides to give her a piece of their mind.

Living in a shared household, you're always worried about your belongings. You might feel this way if you're sharing a room with a college roommate, having folks over at your place for a long weekend, or have always felt this way in your childhood home. Feeling like your belongings are unsafe in the space you reside is a different kind of anxiety; you feel as though everyone in your household has it out for you, and every action they take is a step toward disrespecting your things. Even if it's not intentional on their parts, it doesn't make the situation any less stressful. One moment, you're looking at a perfectly crafted souvenir mug, and the next, you're looking at it in a million pieces on the hardwood floor.

If you share a roof with someone who feigns taking responsibility only because they don't want to hear you run your mouth about very valid issues you're having with them, then I'm sorry. It's like talking to a brick wall; you can express your feelings as much as you'd like, but they'll only be received and accepted by those who actually try to hear you out. It's safe to say that the mother in this next story does not fall into the category of empathetic and understanding company.

Scroll below to read about a mother who destroys her child's mug, then refuses to genuinely apologize for it. Instead, she decides to shift the blame onto them…

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  • Everyone is always spewing the platitude, “respect your elders,” blah, blah, blah. In my humble opinion, this is an outdated term. The saying fails to acknowledge younger people as human beings deserving of respect, and in the absence of that sentiment, most people have completely written off children. Youth and respect don't fall into the same category. Oh, an adult broke a boundary with you? Too bad, they're allowed to. So-called “elders” will try to justify this expression by giving anecdotal examples about how kids are unable to handle equal respect because they think they can do whatever they want, but why do a few sour stories have the weight to write off respect completely? That's a bit much, don't you think?

  • an image of a broken mug on the floor with an overlay of a stressed middle aged woman
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • "AITA For being enraged at my moms comment"

    This morning my mom broke my mug before I woke up and came in to say she broke it when she poured something in.
    via Questioned_life
  • I was obviously disappointed because the mug has been discontinued for production and could only be bought on the
    via Questioned_life
  • second hand market, instead of apologizing, she says "If you treasure something, you should use it less" and left the house.
    via Questioned_life
  • I was absolutely upset at that response and after 3 hours I called her to tell her how I felt about it and she stated "I am not blaming you, I
    via Questioned_life
  • am just saying you should take care of things you value" but I did not break the mug and reiterated it wasn't I who broke the thing I cherish. So she sarcastically say
    via Questioned_life
  • "I'm sorry, oh I'm soooo sorry you feel better now?!" and I responded no because it felt insincere and a means to an end and how it was not reflecting on what she did. She
    via Questioned_life
  • then cuts me off and says we will discuss this another time. Frustrated I hung up the phone mid sentence on that and I know that
    via Questioned_life
  • was rude and reflected on that in a text right after I did that but in the moment I was very angry.
    via Questioned_life
  • Am I the asshole for being upset at how she responded to me about the mug?
    via Questioned_life
  • Since it seems I have to reiterate: AITA for being upset at my moms comment after breaking the mug instead of apologizing for breaking the mug.
    via Questioned_life
  • since people asked: No, there was no extra context she literally said this as I was in bed this morning
    via Questioned_life
  • a broken mug on the floor with coffee and a spoon skewed across the floor
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • The mug was not bought second hand this was a mug I bought from an official shop
    via Questioned_life
  • She did not divulge how she broke the mug, just came in and said she broke the mug and "If you treasure something, you should use it less"
    via Questioned_life
  • When I called back it was not at a time where she and I were both busy and was as convenient a time as possible to discuss
    via Questioned_life
  • Yes, it was said to me in person and the sarcastic apology was on the phone after I called her 3 hrs later when I was more emotionally calm and trying to explain how her response made me feel
    via Questioned_life
  • No the mug has never been broken or glued back together before, it is a perfectly useable and durable mug that was fine even the night prior
    via Questioned_life
  • I was woken up to her telling me she broke my mug and the comment "If you treasure something, you should use it less"
    via Questioned_life
  • My response when she told me was of disappointment in the moment and only escalated at the second part of her response where I was frustrated with mixed emotions after she left
    via Questioned_life
  • Fetch_The_Belt NTA. Breaking something that belongs to you and then blaming you for "using" it is wild. It's just a mug, but it's her response to breaking it that is upsetting.
    via Fetch_The_Belt
  • Cold_Detective_ NTA - is this usually how your mom deflects responsibility and does she usually have a hard time acknowledging/apologizing for mistakes she's made? Sounds like a 3 year old, not a grown woman and definitely not a mother behaving like that. Your emotions are fully valid.
    via Cold_Detective_
  • Rhodin265 I think you should treasure your mother and be around her less.
    via Rhodin265
  • C pserella NTA. Unless there's more context here, it's weird that your mom would act utterly unremorseful about that, and completely dissociate herself from responsibility.
    via c**pserella
  • ChemicalCard5447 Nta she's doing whatever she can to shift the blame from herself. Covert narc behavior
    via ChemicalCard5447

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