Spending birthday money on clothes?

[Anonymous]

A family friend sent DD13 money for her birthday. She wrote a thank you card, explaining she hoped to use the money on a new outfit. Today the friend texted me to tell me she received the card and is “surprised she will be spending the money on clothes”.

Is it strange a 13yo girl would buy clothes with birthday money? Is this the kind of thing someone should leave out of a thank you card?

[Anonymous]

Nope I think it’s fine.
My 11yo spent $60 she got for Christmas on a Messi soccer jersey. There’s worse things she could buy.

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure as a teen I spent 90% of my income on clothes.

[Anonymous]

Their response is surprising. Of course a 13yo girl is buying clothes!

[Anonymous]

Maybe she was thinking you should but her clothes and she should get something “fun.” She clearly doesn’t know many 13 year olds very well.

[Anonymous]

Normal.

[Anonymous]

It’s weird of the friend to mention it to you, not for the girl to buy clothes. To me, saying what was planned with the money is fairly standard. My son spent his Christmas $ on shoes.

[Anonymous]

The only surprise is that your friend would comment on how her gift of money is being used.

[Anonymous]

Your friend is a weirdo.

Next Christmas send her an ugly sweater and then when you see her tell her you are surprised she wasn’t polite enough to wear the sweater you bought her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only surprise is that your friend would comment on how her gift of money is being used.

Agree. If friend didn’t by gift card to be used at particular store, friend should say nothing about what $ spent on.

[Anonymous]

Friend should be commenting only on how amazing it is that a 13 year old wrote a thank you card!! Kudos to your kid, OP— that is awesome!

[Anonymous]

Your friend probably thinks she still wants toys

[Anonymous]

I mean did she want her to be buying books? Lol. What you wrote is fine. Maybe they think you should be buying dds clothes?

I once said I put money “towards her college fund” and my parents were upset. They said that was my job to pay for that, not gifts. My kid was only a toddler so didn’t have many needs. Guess I should have said the aquarium

[Anonymous]

Parents pay for clothes kids need, I.e. if they outgrow their winter coat or whatever parents buy it.

Kids, teens pay for clothing items they don't need but want i.e a fun t shirt, graphic tee or something. But they don't need it because they already have t shirts to get through a week or two.

It seems fairly normal for teens to buy clothes if they are into clothes or even if they aren't into fashion they might see something they want but not need.

[Anonymous]

When you send someone money as a gift, you should have no say in how it is spent (excluding drugs, alcohol or similarly dangerous and wasteful things).

The money was sent so she could buy herself something that makes her happy. If this is what she wants, then let it be.

If it was intended to go toward a college fund, that should have been noted.