AITA for saying "No thanks" when my parents told me my birthday gift is picking out a car/getting a car?
At just seventeen, she holds a driver’s license not out of necessity, but as a quiet insurance for the future—a symbol of independence yet untouched by the rush of the world around her.
Her life is mapped out in steps and minutes, not miles and highways, where every destination is close enough to feel the rhythm of her own heartbeat, not the roar of an engine. Yet, beneath this calm exterior lies a growing weight of expectation.
The promise of freedom tied up in the responsibility to ferry her siblings through long, tiresome drives, turning moments meant for herself into obligations she never asked for.
The road ahead seems less like an open path and more like a tether, pulling her away from the life she’s quietly trying to shape.
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The original poster (OP) is facing significant conflict because their desire for personal freedom and time clashes directly with their parents' expectations regarding a gifted car and associated responsibilities.
While the parents invested considerable effort and resources into providing a major gift, the OP views the car as a burden that would eliminate their free time by adding substantial chauffeur duties for their younger siblings.
When a significant gift, intended to be helpful, is met with outright refusal, where does parental expectation end and the teenager's right to self-determination begin?
Is the OP justified in prioritizing their existing schedule and minimal need for driving over accepting a costly gift that comes with mandatory family labor?
The Comments Section Came Alive:
It didn’t take long before the comment section turned into a battleground of strong opinions and even stronger emotions.
NTA.