When you send your kids to school, you can count on them occasionally losing something and having it go home with another student.

What would you do if their lunchbox went home with another student, but that kid’s parents didn’t return the lunchbox for almost a month?

That is what happened to the parent in this story, and she was pretty frustrated by the time she finally got the lunchbox back.

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for not saying thank you when a parent returned my son’s lunch box

I (35F), have a son (4M), let’s call him Ben.

I pack lunch for all my kids and purchased Bento lunch boxes for each of them.

They go for about $50 on Amazon.

I label my kids lunches, lunch box, as well as pretty much everything they own and take to school.

Kids misplace things all the time.

A few weeks ago when I went to pick up my son from school on a Tuesday, I noticed that his book bag was a little light, and when I looked inside I realized that he was missing his Bento box.

No biggie – I mentioned it to one of the after school teachers and she said that she had accidentally sent it home with another kid (he has a similar name to my son – let’s say Ken). I should note that I have never met this kid or his parent.

All pretty normal stuff so far.

Any way, again, no biggie, I just kindly asked her have the parent return the lunch box the next day.

The following day I inquired about the lunch box and the teacher said that the parent had messaged her saying she would bring it the following day as they are PT students coming on T/Th.

Alright cool.

I can see how this is becoming annoying.

Thursday comes around and after school I’m like okay, where’s my son’s lunch box.

The teacher tells me the parent forgot it but will def bring it next Tues.

I’m a little annoyed, but I figure I’ll give the parent some grace.

Come on now, this is getting ridiculous.

Next Tue comes, and no lunch box. At this point, I’m properly annoyed.

I mention the missing lunch box to my son’s daytime teachers. Asking them to reach out to this parent so I can get my son’s lunch box back.

Are they planning on keeping the lunchbox?

Fast forward to another WEEK. Still no lunch box.

Apparently the mother is postpartum and very forgetful. She made a joke to the teacher saying the lunch box was getting closer to school because she put it by her front door.

I can understand getting mad, but it is just a lunchbox.

Needless to say, I’m properly mad.

I really don’t understand why this is such an ordeal…just put the lunch box in your car or your kid’s book bag to bring to school.

My husband wants me to find the parent and confront her myself, but the teachers won’t give me her name, and I can never catch the kid or her at pick up.

It really isn’t the school’s fault.

So, I send a very stern email to the principal, admin, and all my son’s teachers expressing my frustration with this and explaining that I want my kid’s stuff.

I guess they FINALLY are able to get through to this parent and the next Thursday (nearly 4 WEEKS later), she meets me and brings the lunch box.

Good, she got it back. And the mom is trying to make light of the situation, which is pretty normal.

She apologizes and she tried to joke about the situation, but I was so annoyed that I just kind of stared at her blankly.

Then I just said okay, took the lunch box and left.

Well, she was rude, so what does she expect?

She apparently told some of the other parents that I was rude to her and that I could have been more APPRECIATIVE that she brought the lunch box back.

Ma’am…(eyeroll). .

So anyway, AITA for not saying thank you?

Yeah, kind of. Just because the other parent was rude for not making it a priority to bring the lunchbox back doesn’t mean she has to be rude in return.

Check out the comments below to see what other people have to say.

Here is someone who thinks the other parent was going to keep the lunchbox.

This is true.

They were both rude.

Here is someone who says the other parent has no excuse.

This is what I think as well.

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.