Mom Makes Teen Daughter Commute Nearly Four Miles To School On A Bike, While Son Gets A Comfy Ride Every Morning
This mom sees her decision as fair and reasonable, but her daughter see's things differently.
A mom's (OP's) deal with her 15-year-old daughter seemed straightforward enough: You want that out-of-district school? Fine...but you'll transport yourself there every morning on a bike.
At the early stage, everything was going smoothly. OP got her daughter a quality bike, a sturdy lock, and safety gear. But then the bike started sitting outside, unlocked, despite constant reminders. "It'll be fine," her daughter would say. Until one morning, it wasn't. The bike was gone.
The replacement was cheap. It was a used clunker; functional but humble. OP knew that this bike would make the commute more difficult, but her daughter needed to learn a little lesson in following instructions.
Interestingly, before the first bike got stolen, OP had promised to get her daughter an e-bike. But now, she was worried about splurging money on a bike that would likely vanish again due to her daughter's carelessness.
Meanwhile, OP's 9-year-old son still gets chauffeured daily to his school 2.7 miles away. From her point of view, he's too young to bike 2.7 miles to school, and his school is closer to OP's workplace. But to the teenager grinding uphill each morning, it looks like something else entirely...favoritism.
Now, OP is worried that resentment could be building up because her daughter sees her little brother coasting while she pays for her mistake on two wheels.
Check out the screenshots below to see how the story unfolded.
Let’s dig into the details
Reddit.comOP allowed her daughter attend an out-of-district school on the condition that she will be responsible for getting herself to school
Reddit.comOP daughter’s bike eventually gotten stolen, which she (OP) the replaced with an older one. Interestingly, OP opted to drive her 9-year-old son to school instead of allowing him bike like his sister
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OP’s daughter is frustrated at this decision not to drive her like she (OP) drives her little brother. In addition, she’s hoping OP get’s her an e-bike to make commuting easier
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We gathered some interesting comments from the Reddit community
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“I would give her some path towards earning an ebike - minimum showing responsibility with caring for and locking up her current bike.”
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“NTA. If her negligence gets the bike stolen, she has to deal with the consequences.”
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“NTA - 4 miles is nothing on a bike. Kids need exercise and accountability.”
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“She chose to not appreciate and protect the bike you bought her. This is a great time for her to learn a lesson.”
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“Anyone with half a brain knows to lock a bike up or deal with the consequences when it is stolen.”
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“In hindsight, you probably should have told her you'd put her back in the closer school if her previous bike was stolen.”
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“I wouldn't refuse outright to get the ebike, but explain to her about needing to be responsible for it.”
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The majority of Redditors are on OP's side. They argued that her 15-year-old chose to attend an out-of-district school and accepted the conditions of that choice.
A few more Redditors also argued that the distance isn't too far for someone her age to commute with a bike. However, OP has been advised to still go ahead with the e-bike plans, but only after her daughter has shown commitment to being responsible in protecting the one she has now.
Do you agree with what these Redditors have said, or do you hold a different opinion on how OP should handle this situation? Tell us in the comments.
