Every family is unique, and knowing how a parent handles punishments can be very helpful.

What happens when mom gives you your sister’s laptop to punish her, but then later demands it back?

That is what happened to the college student in this story, and it is causing lots of drama.

Check it out.

AITA for refusing to give back the laptop my mother gave me to punish younger sister

I (23f) am starting grad school this year.

That worked out well.

My laptop recently broke and I couldn’t afford a good one, my mother said my little sister (16f) has been “acting up” recently and not listening and she’d like to give me her laptop since “she’s been horrible lately.”

Now my mother tends to spoil her so it is her fault my sister turned out this way (ofcourse she’ll hear none of it).

She has a bad habit of not following through on punishments and “canceling” them when my sister pitches enough of a fit.

Smart of her to verify.

I asked my mom “are you absolutely sure you aren’t going to call me later and ask for it back when she pitches a fit?

Because if I’m gifted this I’m not giving it back unless you buy me one of equal or greater value.”

She said “yes I’m sure I’ve had enough of her antics” so I went over and picked up the laptop when sister wasn’t home and that was that or so I thought.

It only took about a day before my mother called me begging for the laptop back because my sister has become unbearable and I said “are you going to buy me one of equal or greater value?”

Come on mom, you promised.

And she just kept begging for me to bring it back she couldn’t stand it anymore.

I told her no she never follows through on disciplining sister and its her fault the way she turned out its about time she followed through on a consequence.

And I said I’m not giving it back, we had this discussion, and it’s her fault for dragging me into this in the first place.

She then screams at me and hung up and now won’t speak to me.

Mom needs to be the bigger person and honor her word.

Dad always gives into whatever mom wants “happy wife happy life” and is telling me to “be the bigger person” and give it back.

I said I’m sticking to my guns and he’s sent me several nasty texts and emails because now mom is on his case and he can’t stand it and he’s saying it’s all my fault and this had just hugely blown up.

AITA?

This family sure seems to like their drama.

Let’s take a look at what the people in the comments have to say.

I don’t think I’d take it quite as far as this commenter.

Yup, mom made the deal.

This is a good question.

I guess I can see this point of view.

Yup, this is all on the mom.

This mother needs to learn how to be a parent.

And the sister should stay out of the middle.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.