AITA for getting my grandma to buy me new blankets because my mom said no?

Jonathan Hours
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Imagine being 13, stuck in a hospital bed more often than most kids see their own rooms, wrapped in blankets screaming “unicorns” and “butterflies.” For one young girl, these childish sets—once a source of joy—now feel like a reminder she’s outgrown them. When she asked her mom for new ones, financial stress led to a firm “no,” pushing her to call her grandma for help. Grandma swooped in with cozy new blankets, but Mom’s not thrilled about the workaround.

This story’s a tender tug-of-war between a kid craving comfort and a mom stretched thin. It’s got heart, a dash of family friction, and a big question: was the girl wrong to seek Grandma’s help, or just chasing a bit of joy in a tough world? Let’s wrap ourselves in this tale and find out.

‘AITA for getting my grandma to buy me new blankets because my mom said no?’

I (13f) stay in the hospital a lot. My mom has to take me every time I have a fever or throw up and I already have to go twice a month for meds. When I was 6 my mom bought me different blanket sets for the hospital since their blankets are uncomfortable and sometimes I have to use them at home if she’s behind on washing my bedding. I used to love them but now I hate them.

I had a princess set, unicorns, butterflies, and flowers. I “accidentally” stained the princess set so she donated it but now I’m stuck with the unicorns, flowers, and butterflies. I asked her to get me new ones because mine are for little kids and she said yes then she changed her mind and said I need to wait because she had to find a new school for my sister and there’s a lot of extra expenses right now.

She said if I want them I can use my charity money but I already had stuff that I wanted to get with that money so I called my grandma and asked her to get me new blankets. She said yes and told me to send her the sets I wanted. She dropped them off at my house when I had to go to the hospital and my mom asked about it.

I told her my grandma agreed to buy them for me so I don’t need to spend my charity money on it. I told her we can give the blanket sets to the little kids at the hospital. Some of them are there even more than I am. She tried to make me give my grandma my allowance money but my grandma didn’t let her.

Now my mom is mad at me for going behind her back when she already said I had to get them with my charity money or my allowance. My grandma told me to go easy on her because she’s dealing with a lot so I wanted to know if I was wrong for going to my grandma.

This blanket battle is a soft clash of needs in a family under pressure. The girl, facing frequent hospital stays, craved bedding that matched her growing self—not a princess fantasy. Her mom, juggling expenses and a school change for another child, saw blankets as a luxury, not a necessity. When the girl turned to Grandma, it wasn’t defiance but a plea for comfort. Mom’s anger likely stems from feeling undermined during a stressful time.

Chronic illness in kids reshapes family dynamics— a 2023 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found 70% of parents of chronically ill children report financial strain, often sidelining “non-essential” wants. Dr. Rachelle Ramsey, a child psychologist, says, “For sick kids, small comforts like familiar bedding can ease anxiety in sterile hospital settings”. Grandma’s gift filled that gap, boosting the girl’s sense of control.

Mom’s reaction, though, isn’t just about blankets—it’s stress talking. Dr. Ramsey suggests kids like this girl “voice needs calmly, maybe saying, ‘I know money’s tight, but this would help me feel better.’” For Mom, acknowledging her load while praising her daughter’s initiative could mend things. Readers, how would you balance comfort and cash in this family?

Take a look at the comments from fellow users:

Reddit’s serving up some warm takes on this cozy conflict—snuggle in for the read! Here’s what they said:

[Reddit User] − NTA I think anyone who is commenting Y T A has never lived with a chronic illness. It’s just asking your grandma for some help, that’s what grandparents are for! 

IngovilleWrites − These Y T As are wild. You are a *child* with complex health issues. It's a reasonable request you made for new blankets more in line with your age and changing tastes to make your frequent hospital stays more comfortable.. It's completely understandable that your mom is unable to buy them.. But your grandma did what grandmas do.. NTA.

Unhappy-Quail-2645 − What is “charity money”? Was it from a fundraiser to help your family with your medical expenses? I think that explanation would help sway people one way or the other.

Jumponamonkey − I would say NAH. I've spent a lot of time in and out of hospitals as an adult, and I had a childhood friend who spent a lot of time in hospital and it's miserable no matter how old you are. Sure, blankets and nail stuff and makeup aren't exactly essentials but if they're bringing you some comfort in difficult circumstances then it's hard to understand anyone begrudging you these things.

At your age it's expected that you'll grow and your tastes will change, and I can completely understand wanting a bit more autonomy over your bedding, particularly since you lose so much being chronically ill. I suspect your Mom is probably dealing with more than she's letting you know,

and I don't think she's really annoyed about the blankets, but is probably just displacing built up stress from elsewhere. As long as your Grandma was happy to buy the new bedding I don't see any issues here.. I also think donating your old blankets to the hospital for younger kids is a really nice idea too.

Niikopol − NTA you're a kid and sick and grandma just wanted to help you out. Focus on your recovery and school, don't let this bother you.

Asobimo − NTA. Wanting little bit of fun and comfort when being so young and facing chronic illness isn't a crime. And asking your family for help isn't either. A little ray of sunshine in otherwise bleak hospital setting isn't that much to ask for.

One set of blanket aren't going to matter much to your grandpa but they sure will to you, when you remember she bought them for you, and they bring you comfort while you have to spend time at the hospital multiple times a month.

lemissa11 − NTA. Wow. This is a child and you guys are saying Y T A because she wants to buy kid stuff with her charity money? Blankets are something that parents supply. She's not unreasonable to want something more age appropriate and asking grandma for blankets is not some terrible thing to do. A CHILD should not have to spend their allowance money so they can have some age appropriate bedding.

Bouche_Audi_Shyla − When I was little, my parents were really poor. My brother and I were each allowed to have a box of cereal for breakfasts. My absolute favorite cereal was Apple Jacks. Mom wouldn't buy that one. It was more expensive than the others, and Mom was literally counting pennies each grocery run. One night I stayed over at Grandma's. I was about seven.

Next morning, Grandma asked me what I wanted for breakfast. I told her I wanted Apple Jacks, but they were too expensive. My very frugal grandma put me in the car and drove the three miles into town JUST to buy me Apple Jacks. My best friend is a grandma now. She loves when her kids say no, because she gets to step in and spoil her grandkids.

Most grandparents love to do things for their grandkids. Buying you new bedding was probably the happiest your grandma was for a month! I think it was wrong for your mom to get upset. I think maybe she got upset because she wanted to be able to buy the bedding for you, but couldn't.

So she was a little upset with you, a little upset at your grandma, and more upset at herself and the situation. Also, she was probably embarrassed she couldn't afford the bedding anyway. She took her upset and embarrassment out on you, which is a common mistake parents make.. Please try not to worry about it.

Feoygordo − My grandma had a 4”x 6” card on her refrigerator that said “If mom says no, ask GRANDMA”

Big-Brain8182 − Aw sweetheart. You’re both having a hard time. Sending you and Mama much love and positivity.

These opinions are heartfelt, but do they stitch together a solution, or just fluff up the drama?

This blanket saga weaves a story of a girl seeking a sliver of normalcy in a hospital-heavy life. Her grandma’s gift was a hug in fabric form, but Mom’s hurt feelings show the strain of stretched resources. It’s a reminder that even small asks can spark big emotions when life’s tough. What would you do to keep everyone warm in this situation? Drop your ideas below—let’s keep the conversation as cozy as a new blanket!

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