As a parent, there are some times in our lives when we need to set boundaries and be strict for the sake of our children. When they get hurt or upset over something, we have to advocate for them and be their voice when they’re young. Sometimes, that means that we insult others, but if it’s for our kids, we do what we need to do.
When we advocate for our kids, it can sometimes be to the detriment of the rest of our family.
Whether it be our parents or our siblings, we know that if our child is hurt, they come first above all.
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However, we often need some reassurance that we’re doing the right thing.
Recently, one mom wrote in to Reddit seeking advice about a situation where she advocated for her son at the sake of her sister-in-law and her children.
The mom asked if she was in the wrong for throwing out her sister-in-law and her children after they destroyed her son’s Lego City that he had worked hard to build.
The mom explained that her son is very interested in building and architecture.
“Jake is obsessed with anything to do with building and wants to be an architect when [he’s] older. I fully support this dream and have spent a crap ton of money buying the graph paper, the table, rulers, and the biggest expense, Legos,” she said.
Jake also takes a lot of time planning and prepping.
“He likes to spend his time drawing out his plans for his Lego builds before he moves over to the blocks to actually build things and I think he’s fantastic at it,” she wrote.
For his birthday, the mom decided to give him a space in their home for all of his building and Lego bricks.
“This room is my [son’s] pride and joy and he spends [a lot] of time in there. Anytime any kids come over, they have to have his permission to go in and we enforce it. [Here’s] where the problem starts,” she said.
She said that her sister-in-law recently left her husband and she and her three kids have been staying with them at her house for a bit.
“This would be fine if she hadn’t started throwing a fit about Jake’s office. She wants more room in our house even tho [sic] they have the entire finished basement that has a family room that they are using as a bedroom.
“She wants us to clear out Jake’s office so she can have space away from her kids,” she wrote.
The couple told the sister no, that they wouldn’t give up their son’s workspace.
“She then started demanding we let her kids play in there because Legos are toys and Jake needs to share.
“I told her she was out of her damned mind because Jake said he [didn’t] want his cousins in there, that [he’s] working on a huge project(he has been building a city),” she added.
Her sister-in-law was angry and decided to completely destroy all of the work that her son had put into the Lego City.
The mom responded by throwing the sister-in-law out with all of her belongings.
She asked the Reddit community if she was overreacting and if she was wrong for the response she had.
The Reddit community decided that the mom was not in the wrong at all.
“It’s not about the LEGOs it’s about her trying to call the shots and assert her dominance in YOUR house and when you didn’t cave she [expletive] damaged your child’s possessions? She can GTFO and stay out,” one person wrote in the thread.
Some said SIL’s actions showcase just why she’s getting a divorce.
“I feel like we just got a lot of insight as to why SIL is getting divorced— she thinks destroying other people’s joy is an acceptable way to behave when she’s told no.
“This lack of respect and entitlement is probably why Jake didn’t want his cousins in his office to begin with,” one person said.
One Reddit user made it clear it’s not about the Legos at all.
“This isn’t about Lego — it’s about your ridiculously entitled SIL trying to force her wants on your household. Good for you in kicking her out. Hope Jake can build everything back even better,” they said.
Many even at first thought it was accidental.
“See, at first I assumed you threw them out because kids ignored rules and accidentally broke his city. Even in that sort of scenario which kinda sucks for your son its not appropriate to kick a family out for kids playing and having a mishap.
“But after reading and finding out it was in fact a grown adult who threw a tantrum and intentionally destroyed a child’s prized possession? Thats [expletive] up,” one Reddit user said.
Another added that she was right because she was protecting her son.
“Protect your kid and his developing mind. I think what you’re doing is great. Most parents wouldn’t even think twice about being so supportive this early on,” someone added.
Another said SIL sounds wildly unhinged.
“Your sister was mad so she destroyed a kid’s toyroom? (I know Legos can be rebuilt, but still…) That’s not how adults handle a disagreement. I mean, does she snatch kids’ ice creams and throw bricks through the windshields of expensive cars? She sounds unhinged tbh, and I wouldn’t trust her near my kids,” one person wrote.
What do you think about this family’s situation?
