A teenager secretly took her stepsister’s cherished necklace, which held her late grandfather’s wedding ring, despite being told she couldn’t.

After nearly losing it, she turned to her father for comfort, but he refused.

Now, he’s being accused of being too harsh.

Read on for the story.

AITA for not comforting my daughter after she lost her stepsister’s necklace?

I married my wife five years ago.

I have two daughters from my first marriage, Rose (15) and Nicole (13), while my wife has Becca (16).

Becca’s father is absent, so her grandfather played a big role in her life until he passed away a year before I met my wife.

It was very hard on Becca, and though she’s doing better, she still carries that loss.

I’ve stepped up as a father figure, and we’re very close.

Becca has a necklace with her grandfather’s wedding ring on it, gifted to her by my wife when she was 13.

She wears it only on special occasions or when she wants to feel close to him.

How special.

Rose and Nicole know its significance.

Rose once asked to borrow it because she found the ring beautiful, but Becca refused, and Rose seemed to respect that.

Last week, after Rose and Nicole returned to their mom’s, Becca noticed her necklace was missing.

She was frantic, insisting she hadn’t taken it out since a dance a month ago but had seen it in her jewelry box since then.

While searching, Nicole called, overheard the situation, and passed the phone to Rose.

Rose hesitated but eventually admitted she had borrowed it for an upcoming date.

I told her she needed to return it immediately and that we’d discuss how wrong it was to steal it.

Becca calmed slightly but was still deeply upset.

No kidding.

I went to my ex’s house, where Rose, looking embarrassed, said she couldn’t find it. We searched everywhere—her room, bag, my car, and her mom’s house.

I even brought her back to retrace her steps.

When Becca saw her, she exploded in anger, calling Rose a brat and saying she’d never forgive her if it wasn’t found.

Rose was crying, looking to me, but I just told her to keep looking and hope we found it.

Eventually, Rose thought to check under her mom’s car—it was there, thankfully undamaged.

I grabbed it and told her she was lucky.

I grounded her, and while she kept apologizing.

Tough love, right?

I told her I appreciate that and know she feels bad but it wasn’t okay.

She later called Becca to apologize again, but Becca said she’d never trust her again. We got Becca a locking jewelry box and a door lock at her request.

My ex thinks we’re being too hard on Rose and that we should have comforted her.

She says Rose is just a teen who made a mistake.

I disagreed, saying this wasn’t a simple mistake—she knew the necklace’s importance, was told not to take it, and nearly lost it.

If it had been run over, it would’ve been gone forever.

I told Rose I love her, but any more comforting would be coddling, and she needs to learn from this.

My wife, Becca, and even Nicole agree with my approach.

AITA?

Letting your kid feel the consequences of stealing something irreplaceable isn’t cruel—it’s parenting.

Maybe next time, she’ll think twice before pocketing something that isn’t hers.

This person says stern and fair was the way to go.

This person says he’s NTA, and Rose probably did it on person.

This person says it’s definitely a lesson learned.

Borrowed the necklace, lost the trust, gained a life lesson.

He definitely didn’t do anything wrong.

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