Pexels/Reddit

Customizing your stuff is part of the fun, but not everyone approves.

One teenager had been given a pair of Beats headphones by his mom years ago, and they’d been his daily companion ever since. He was thankful for them and used them constantly.

Part of his personality was decorating what he owned. He stuck pins and keychains on his bags and painted designs on his shoes, so adding a sticker to his headphones felt natural. He chose a black heart that said “bite me” because it made him laugh.

But things got dramatic when his mom saw it and accused him of defacing them and ruining their value.

Suddenly one of his prized possessions was the center of a fierce debate.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for ‘defacing’ my headphones?

I’m a teenager in high school, and a few years ago, my mum bought me a pair of Beats headphones for my birthday.

Of course, I’m very grateful for said headphones and have basically used them every day since.

The teen decided he wanted to customize his headphones, which turned out to be a huge mistake in his mom’s eyes.

The thing is, though, I got a pack of stickers a few days ago and decided to stick one on the side of my headphones to make it look better. It’s a black heart sticker that says “bite me,” and I thought it was a funny gag and like the look of it on my headphones.

My mum saw and went mental, saying I “defaced” my headphones and ruined the value.

He can’t understand where his mom is coming from at all.

I don’t see an issue with it because even though my mum bought me said headphones, they are mine, and they still function like normal, and I love them.

She made the comparison with sticking stickers on a £500 phone (which I would probably do, tbh), and even then, I still see no issue.

If you like the look, I don’t know why the value of said item matters.

For him, this is a completely normal behavior.

I don’t know if this is useful, but I add extra design elements to basically everything I own. I stick pins and keychains on all my bags, I draw and paint on my shoes, and I love them even more after.

AITA?

Sounds like mom is overreacting a bit.

What did Reddit have to say?

Part of the fun of owning something is making it your own.

This mom-age commenter weighs in.

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This mom may be a little out of touch with her expectations.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a mom who has been saving for her child’s private education, but now her stepson’s mother expects her to do the same for her stepkid.

Headphones are meant to be used, not kept in pristine condition.

This teenager made a harmless choice and got a lecture about resale value. The headphones work, they look the way he wants, and he’s used them every day for years. What’s the problem with that?

Selling them was never the plan, and if it were, a sticker would peel off. So his mother’s argument really doesn’t hold up to much scrutiny.

A gift that’s loved is worth more than a gift that’s pristine.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.