‘AITA for telling my mom to never touch my stuff again after she lost my Luis Vuitton bag?’

Family dynamics can often be complicated—especially when cherished possessions and personal boundaries are involved. In this case, our OP, a 15-year-old girl, recounts a heated incident with her mom over a lost Louis Vuitton purse. For years, OP has longed for an expensive bag of her own, saving up her hard-earned money to purchase one.
When she discovered that her mom had allowed a friend to borrow the bag—and ultimately lost it—OP’s feelings of betrayal and frustration exploded into an emotional confrontation. Now, her sisters and family say she overreacted, claiming it’s “just a bag.” But is it really just a bag, or is it about respect and trust? Let’s dive into the details and see if OP’s reaction was justified.
‘AITA for telling my mom to never touch my stuff again after she lost my Luis Vuitton bag?’
Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a clinical psychologist who specializes in family dynamics, comments, “When a young person has worked hard to save up for something that holds significant personal meaning, any breach of trust regarding that possession can feel like a personal betrayal. While the object may seem trivial to outsiders, the emotional investment is very real.” (kidshealth.org)
Family therapist Dr. Susan Johnson adds, “In situations like this, it’s less about the monetary value of the purse and more about establishing and maintaining personal boundaries. OP’s reaction, though intense, reflects a deeper need for respect and autonomy over her personal belongings. It’s important to communicate feelings constructively, but the underlying hurt in feeling disregarded is valid.”
Both experts agree that while a calmer conversation might have been ideal, the intensity of OP’s response is understandable given her emotional investment in the item and the history of feeling undervalued in her family.
Here’s the comments of Reddit users:
Many redditors empathize with OP, saying that if you’ve worked hard for something that means a lot to you, you deserve to have your boundaries respected. “It’s not just a purse—it’s your achievement and independence,” one commenter noted.
Ultimately, OP’s decision to tell her mom never to touch her stuff again—after losing her cherished Louis Vuitton purse—stems from deep feelings of betrayal and a need for respect. While some may view it as an overreaction to “just a bag,” others recognize that the emotional investment behind it is significant.
Do you believe that personal property and the trust associated with it should be held sacred, even if it’s an expensive purse? Or should family members be more forgiving when mistakes happen? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below—what would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation?