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Am i being ungrateful or do i have reason to be upset

So I recently turned 18, I didn’t ask for a big party or actually anything in particular. For context my older sister is in uni and my mum is financing it, because of this I don’t ask for money, I commute to sixthform by train which is 20.95 a week and my dad gives me 21 pound so I have 5 pence left, I wake up around 6 to get me and my sister up since my parents are not at home from 3am-8am due to a gap in the work schedules, since I get up quite early and then commute 40 mins to school I don’t really find time to take packed lunch but maybe once every 2/3 weeks I’d ask for 5 pounds lunch money for the week. I’m a black girl so I need to get my hair done which I appreciate my mum paying for every 3 months or so and also my weekly driving lessons. With all this in mind I chose not to do or ask for anything on my 18th. To my surprise, my mum gave me 300 pounds!! I felt so guilty accepting, I told her it was too much and I’d be happy sending half back or so, she said, “300 isn’t much since i could’ve gotten you an upgraded phone which would be more expensive” i said “should i use half to pay my driving instructor” since i had a driving test 3 days later and my driving instructor requires 150 for her car and an hour lesson before, to this my mum said “no I’ll pay that, this 300 is your gift and Ik you don’t ask for much” I felt guilty accepting but I didn’t contest it after. Fast forward the day of my test, my mum was annoyed in the morning and she said I had to use the money she gave me, despite previously agreeing to this i didn’t find this fair so I calmly spoke to her about it 30 mins later and she said “if you haven’t misbehaved there’s no reason why I won’t reimburse the 150 pounds”, this eased me and I trusted her, since then I haven’t asked for the money until today, I know it’s trivial but I’ve been wanting to do it for a while - getting my lashes done. I spoke to my mum about it and she said, “you’re not getting your money back, what am I gonna use to pay for your hair and your driving lessons, even so you’re too young for that” firstly, she promised she wouldn’t make me use the money on driving lessons because what would be the point on giving it to me?? Hair I do understand even tho she did say it was my spending money I do understand hair, I just don’t like being lied to and false promises especially when I’ve been trying to cut her costs, wearing beaten shoes to school, not buying lunch outside, walking instead of bus, and to say I’m too young is annoying also because 1. I’ve gotten my eyelashes done before with her permission and 2. I’m an adult now so like what??? Its eyelashes???? I go to uni in less than a year, I’m not too young to move out but I’m too young to do eyelashes so clearly she’s just saying that to prevent her not having to fulfil her end of the promise but I just hate being gifted to have it taken back and I know I’m probably being really bratty and if I am please say so, but whether it’s lashes or not, why give me the illusion of a gift if I’m not actually getting the entire gift?
oh well.....
i understand where you are coming from as a black girl myself tho younger. I think to avoid this whole drama and all, you could try getting a part time job so you can have your own money and do whatever you want with it and you can also avoid this promise and fail incident
Original post by Anonymous
So I recently turned 18, I didn’t ask for a big party or actually anything in particular. For context my older sister is in uni and my mum is financing it, because of this I don’t ask for money, I commute to sixthform by train which is 20.95 a week and my dad gives me 21 pound so I have 5 pence left, I wake up around 6 to get me and my sister up since my parents are not at home from 3am-8am due to a gap in the work schedules, since I get up quite early and then commute 40 mins to school I don’t really find time to take packed lunch but maybe once every 2/3 weeks I’d ask for 5 pounds lunch money for the week. I’m a black girl so I need to get my hair done which I appreciate my mum paying for every 3 months or so and also my weekly driving lessons. With all this in mind I chose not to do or ask for anything on my 18th. To my surprise, my mum gave me 300 pounds!! I felt so guilty accepting, I told her it was too much and I’d be happy sending half back or so, she said, “300 isn’t much since i could’ve gotten you an upgraded phone which would be more expensive” i said “should i use half to pay my driving instructor” since i had a driving test 3 days later and my driving instructor requires 150 for her car and an hour lesson before, to this my mum said “no I’ll pay that, this 300 is your gift and Ik you don’t ask for much” I felt guilty accepting but I didn’t contest it after. Fast forward the day of my test, my mum was annoyed in the morning and she said I had to use the money she gave me, despite previously agreeing to this i didn’t find this fair so I calmly spoke to her about it 30 mins later and she said “if you haven’t misbehaved there’s no reason why I won’t reimburse the 150 pounds”, this eased me and I trusted her, since then I haven’t asked for the money until today, I know it’s trivial but I’ve been wanting to do it for a while - getting my lashes done. I spoke to my mum about it and she said, “you’re not getting your money back, what am I gonna use to pay for your hair and your driving lessons, even so you’re too young for that” firstly, she promised she wouldn’t make me use the money on driving lessons because what would be the point on giving it to me?? Hair I do understand even tho she did say it was my spending money I do understand hair, I just don’t like being lied to and false promises especially when I’ve been trying to cut her costs, wearing beaten shoes to school, not buying lunch outside, walking instead of bus, and to say I’m too young is annoying also because 1. I’ve gotten my eyelashes done before with her permission and 2. I’m an adult now so like what??? Its eyelashes???? I go to uni in less than a year, I’m not too young to move out but I’m too young to do eyelashes so clearly she’s just saying that to prevent her not having to fulfil her end of the promise but I just hate being gifted to have it taken back and I know I’m probably being really bratty and if I am please say so, but whether it’s lashes or not, why give me the illusion of a gift if I’m not actually getting the entire gift?

I completely understand what you're going through and I know how frustrated you feel and you have every right to feel this way. It was gifted to you so regardless of who gave it to you it is now yours. I do think your mum is in the wrong because I find a little unfair that she didn't pay it back. She is funding for your sister and she could be under pressure financially and in her viewpoint she could be thinking that the money you spent for the driving lessons was used for your benefit anyway. However, it's really important to keep your promise and again regardless of who it is friends, strangers or even family members should stick by to their words and if you can't keep your promise don't make them. She could have simply stated that she cannot at the moment and been completely honest with you to avoid future disappointments. You could bring it up again and see what she says and if she still persists that she's not going to fund for your lashes I would personally just let it go and move on as there is nothing much you can do. You could try get a part time job although I understand you're in sixth form and from someone who has completed their A levels, the work load is overwhelming so a job might be out of the question. If you could find a remote part time job like tutoring where the work hours are quite flexible, you could try and see if you can squeeze this into your schedule.

I hope everything works out for you! x

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