Mom scolds 17-year-old daughter for buying ice cream with her own money when the rest of the family is on a diet: 'They’re all overweight, I’m not.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Mar 27, 2026 8:00 PM EDT

She shouldn't have to stick to an overly restrictive diet just because her mother says so. 

 

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  • Woman holding ice cream come
    via Parker Johnson

    A teenage girl eats ice cream, even though the rest of her family is on a strict diet.

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

  • Have you ever had to be around someone who was on a restrictive diet and was extremely annoying about it? We've all had a coworker, family member, or friend who cannot stop talking about how they're only eating meat and vegetables for the next six weeks. What are you supposed to say to that? "Good job, I will be thinking about your BMs during this trying time." You feel bad telling someone that you don't want to hear about their diet, but sometimes that's what you have to do to have some peace of mind. It's best practice not to talk about dieting without first asking whether someone is comfortable discussing it. You never know someone's personal history with eating problems, and one might be hesitant to tell you to stop talking about diets because they don't want you to know their personal history with food and dieting.

     

  • Talking about dieting with someone who isn't on a diet is one thing, but forcing your diet upon someone else is not right under any circumstances. The waters can get murky when you're dealing with a parent forcing their diet upon their child. Should a parent force their kid to diet against their will if it's for the sake of their health? The parents in this story are forcing their daughter to diet, even when she does not need to, as she is a healthy weight. 

  • Am I the bad guy for eating what I want when the rest of my family is on a diet?

    My (17F) family is pretty overweight, especially my younger brother. My mom decided it would be in everyone's best interests to go on a diet and get rid of junk food.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • That's fine, we could all eat a little healthier. However, I have my own income and so one or two days a week I eat at my work where food is either free or super cheap.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • I get home late, so my only option for dinner is whatever is leftover. I also bought a box of dilly bars (ice cream bars) and hid it in the outside freezer for myself.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • My mom saw my bank account stuff and found my dilly bars by accident and she was posed.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • She started yelling about how I can't be doing this while everybody is dieting and she told my dad and he's mad too.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • Woman in white and black striped shirt
    via Manuel Gonzalez

    Mom, who is angry about her teenage daughter bringing ice cream into the home and eating it while she is on a strict diet.

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

  • They're both "extremely disappointed in me" but I don't see what the issue is. They're all overweight, I'm not.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • I go to the gym multiple times a week, I weigh 125 pounds, I should be able to eat what i want a few times a week,but my parents disagree.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • A bacon cheeseburger with fries on a wooden table
    via JSB Co. (Unsplash+)

    A hamburger and fries: the type of meal this girl should be able to eat every once in a while.

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

  • Great_Art2493 NTA, only buy snacks you can keep in your room, hidden, or your car, why should you suffer because they are all obese and you're not. Also, maybe get paperless bank statements sent to your email so they can't look at it.
    via u/Great_Art2493
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply they have access to my bank statements online and to my bank account through their app
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • FlyingSpaghettiFell Pay in cash when you can because this is hard for your family. You can eat your way outside of the home but be kind and don't bring it back to the house. Losing weight is MUCH harder than staying thin. So be kind and keep junk food out of the house for them.
    via u/FlyingSpaghettiFell
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply I know it's hard to lose weight, I was 160 pounds my freshman year.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • Ok_Requirement1595 Exactly this. OP, switch to paperless statements immediately so they can't intercept the mail, and change your banking app password. The fact that they are auditing a teenager's debit card over a bag of chips is a massive boundary violation.
    via u/Ok_Requirement1595
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply My account is linked to theirs. My account is separate, but they have access to it through their account, it doesn't matter what I do on my end.
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • Woshambo There's a difference between, "no junk food in the house" and, "no junk food".
    via u/Woshambo
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply They went through my bank account to find out what I'm eating outside the house
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • bobtheorangecat INFO-height?
    via u/bobtheorangecat
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply 5'5
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • 96JMC Set up your own account then. Either something like a Monzo and transfer your money into it from your account that your parents manage, or set up a new debit account and instruct your work to pay into it directly. At 17, you should be (at least) starting to manage your own finances.
    via u/96JMC
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply i can't open a bank account without my parents until i'm 18. i manage my own finances, but they still have access to seeing what I purchase and stuff unfortunately
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • Woshambo Plus she also agreed when her mother said they were getting rid of junk food from the house. OP agreed with something and didn't stick to it and is now blowing things out of proportion by jumping onto reddit and saying her family isn't allowing her to eat what she wants.
    via u/Woshambo
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply I didn't agree with her, it's not like I got the choice. I'm just saying I could see her reasoning behind the junk food thing
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797
  • CMeNaught "Mom, is the point of the diet to be healthy, or is the point to suffer? It would not be healthy for me to lose weight right now; my current weight is in the healthy range. I am happy to generally eat healthy food with all of you, but I don't need to calorie restrict or change my consumption at this time." NTA.
    via u/CMeNaught
  • ThealaSildorian Nta. I'm a nurse. Rigid changes are unlikely to succeed and the weight is regain as soon as the rigid diet stops. The best approach is gradual changes in diet so they become habits, combined with gradual increases in activity. Some people need a dietician to help with this. Shaming family members who do not need this is counter productive.
    via u/ThealaSildorian
  • beepbop110 NTA but as a minor, convincing your parents of this might be hard. You might have a better time just buying snacks to keep in your room, and keeping your bank account stuff private... Your parents shouldn't be looking at your bank statements,
    via u/beepbop110
  • Artistic-Wealth-1797 Original Poster's Reply I can't keep my account private :/ they have access to it on their own bank account
    via u/Artistic-Wealth-1797

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weight loss diet brother ice cream parenting dad family food mom money
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