Dad Of Four Loves Drinking Sparkling Water, But Because His Kids Also Love It Too He Wants To Make His Case Off-Limits
by Mila Cardozo
You buy a snack for yourself, you save it for later… But someone in your household eats it.
This is one of the worst feelings in the world.
In this dad’s case, he is tired of buying packs of sparkling water and not being able to drink them because his four kids make it disappear in two days.
After talking with them, he is wondering if he is being selfish for not really wanting to share it.
Let’s analyze the situation.
AITA for not sharing my sparkling water with the family?
Early on in our marriage, I shared with my wife how my parents would buy treats and not share them with us kids.
We were dirt poor to the point of going hungry, and sometimes they would buy things like ice cream or Fritos or something like that and it was hands-off for the kids.
That’s sad. But he ended that cycle.
So now here we are with four kids of our own.
We are not poor, but we are not rich.
We have an overstocked snack cupboard and the kids don’t want for anything.
They are free to get snacks as they want.
We rarely deny them what they ask for.
When we have a treat everyone gets it.
But there’s just one treat he wishes he could have more of…
I really enjoy sitting down and drinking cold sparkling water. Like a Bubly or a La Croix etc.
It calms me down.
My therapist even recommended it as a way to restart.
The thing is: the kids also love sparkling water, so when we buy a 12-pack, it is gone in less than two days.
Sure I’ve had a couple, but when I want one again, they are all gone.
It’s understandable why they disappear. But he is struggling to find a solution to the issue.
Sometimes we will go crazy and buy a couple of Costco packs which just means that everyone drinks them at double the rate.
When I want one they are once again gone.
Even if I expected there to be some.
I don’t think it’s a wise budget move for everyone in the family to constantly be drinking sparkling water, especially when we are trying to save money, but I want one when I want one.
It’s his right, of course, but nobody in his household really gets it.
My wife and kids think this is selfish and my wife will remind me what I told her about my own family.
I want to be able to enjoy sparkling water when I want, without the fear of them being gone.
Sometimes I will hide a couple in the fridge and be extra upset when I discover they are gone.
Shouldn’t I at age 44 be allowed to have something of my own like sparkling water!?
Because of his childhood, this situation is probably very uncomfortable to him.
I’ve considered buying my own mini-fridge, but that seems ridiculous.
It’s not cost or energy-effective and how would that be different?
I’ve asked my family to help me resolve this.
They just think I’m being selfish and should just go without sparkling water when everyone else goes without, and have some when everyone else is having some.
AITA?
I think it’s okay to buy a treat for yourself and for your kids and have your stash be off-limits.
Let’s see what Reddit has to say about this.
A reader shares their personal experience.
Someone makes a few suggestions.
This commenter asks a simple question.
This person shares how their mom dealt with a similar situation.
Another reader chimes in.
It would solve the issue.
This tired father deserves to drink his share of sparkling water in peace.
I think a fridge lock box is the way to go.
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.

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