AITA for laughing uncontrollably at my son when he asked me to replace a Christmas gift he broke out of anger?

A Reddit user shared a story about their 16-year-old son, who broke a new gaming chair in a fit of rage the day after Christmas. Despite the chair being an expensive gift, the son asked for it to be replaced, claiming it would be “fair.”

This request led the user to burst into uncontrollable laughter, which frustrated and upset their son even more. While the parent acknowledges their reaction may have been hurtful, they also feel justified in finding the situation absurd.

‘ AITA for laughing uncontrollably at my son when he asked me to replace a Christmas gift he broke out of anger?’

I know I likely am, but the extend of which I’m unsure about. My son is almost 17. This Christmas we bought him an expensive computer gaming chair, as he plays a lot of online multiplayer shooters. My son has some anger issues, which he’s currently in therapy for, and these shooters tend to bring out his temper more than normal.

However, for the past few months he’s been keeping it together well, so I figured the chair might be a fair present. I was wrong, because the day after Christmas he was gaming, started to have bad luck and apparently people in-game were f**king with him because he was losing his patience.

This culminated in him screaming insults and then picking up his chair and slamming it into the ground, breaking the back of it. After talking him down, we had a very serious conversation about him no longer being allowed to play multiplayer games while under my roof until his therapist feels comfortable with his progress, talked about coping mechanisms, etc.

However, I made it very clear this was unacceptable and he would be grounded. We’ve had these heart-to-hearts many times, so it’s not like every time he has an outburst I’m making light of it. It’s a serious issue and treated like such.

However, when he came to me later that day and told me he’d like me to replace the chair because it was a gift, he “really liked it” and “it would only be fair”, the frustration, disbelief and disappointment in his behavior boiled over and I started laughing hysterically. As in a full laughing fit, barely able to breathe or talk.

The more he’d plead his case, the harder I’d laugh, repeatedly asking him how it was “fair” in his mind to have me replace a gift I paid for that he broke in anger. This obviously pissed him off more, which led to him getting emotional, but I just couldn’t seem to stop myself.

I tried walking out of the room and asking him to drop it but every time he’d say “but I need a chair!” or “What am I supposed to do now” I’d laugh again. I tried explaining that I’m not laughing at his feelings, I’m laughing at how absurd it is for him as a teenager to expect me to replace s**t he can’t be bothered to treat with respect and then whine about it when he broke it.

He’s still pissed about it, and feels slighted. I feel bad for laughing, and honestly wonder if I had some sort of mini-stress break myself, because it’s never happened before and I couldn’t seem to stop. But at the same time, I stand by the fact that his request *was* ridiculous enough to make most people *want* to laugh. How badly did I f**k up?

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

mzgoofyzmusiq −  NTA you were laughing because he is absurdly entitled and deluded in thinking that was an appropriate request. Allow him to feel the consequences of his actions. Don’t enable him by shielding him from the consequences

[Reddit User] −  NTA It sounds like you had an uncontrollable response to his request. If you made the attempt to excuse yourself and explained that it wasn’t regarding his feelings, but rather his behavior, then I think you’re fine – but it’s something that you should definitely speak to him about again when you have better control over yourself.

Does he have a job? If not, maybe he should consider getting one. This will limit his available time to even play these games, and then he can also save up money to replace the chair on his own.

lisasimpsonfan −  NTA I would have laughed too as I walked to my computer and changed the password for the internet. We are a house full of gamers but gamer rage is b**lshit. If my 17 year old threw a fit like a 3 year old I would treat him like one. He needs a time out from the internet and gaming.

[Reddit User] −  Info, if he has anger issues bad enough to need therapy why would he be playing these games that trigger him?

[Reddit User] −  NTA, you’re only human, and kids are entertaining sometimes. Maybe you did have a stress break, also.
You didn’t f**k up that badly, but let his therapist know, maybe, just in case, lol

[Reddit User] −  ESH. Him for breaking his s**t and having the audacity to ask that you replace it. You for laughing in his face and escalating the argument. Laugh at the nerve sure, just not in his face like that.

Initial_Elderberry −  NTA, your son is being entitled and ridiculous. Laughing probably wasn’t the best route, but I’m also one of those people who laugh at insane and stressful situations, so I get it. Your son needs to earn his own money and recognize the value of what he has, maybe he won’t go smashing everything if he had to sweat for it.

ranch_onmy_titties −  NTA, this is hilarious and I don’t see why so many people are saying you’re an a**hole. He is 17 years old and he’s definitely old enough to know better than to pull a stunt like this. What really gets me is how when you tried to walk into another room, he followed and kept asking.

You did the right thing by going to a different room and trying to avoid him for a bit, but the fact that he followed you and kept asking is laughable, I probably wouldn’t have been able to hold it in either.

It’s not your fault that you had trouble keeping your laughter under control, you tried to move away but he wouldn’t let you. If he was really upset maybe he should’ve just stopped bothering you and gone to his room or something.

SarcasticAzaleaRose −  This is hard but I think I’m going to have to go with ESH Your son for breaking the chair and then asking for a new one. You for laughing so hard and long, even though I can understand why you did it. Also for continuing to allow him to play these games when you know how he reacts to them.

You shouldn’t replace the chair and shouldn’t allow him to continue to play these games but if he does show improvement maybe give him some kind of reward that’s not these games.

ShaMana999 −  YTA for laughing. Having emotional problems and you knowing about them makes this a very a hole reaction from an adult.. that said NTA for not replacing the chair. Just should have reacted better