AITAH because a child was injured on my property and I don’t think it’s a big deal?
My son had a friend of his come over, and they were goofing around in the yard. There’s a small dead tree I’ve been meaning to cut down but haven’t gotten to yet because I’m lazy. My son never had any interest in helping me with the tree. Every time I suggested he come help me he was “tired” or “busy” from/with all the many responsibilities teenagers have.
Since his friend was there, and be wanted his friend to think he was cool, he somehow found the energy. He went and got the ax from the shed and started to chop down the tree. His friend thought this was very cool and asked to try. My son gave him the ax, and he swung it at the worst possible angle. The ax hit the tree and bounced off, lost a little momentum and hit him on the chin with the flat side of the ax.
The boys ran inside. The ax didn’t break the skin, and I told him he was fine but he could put some ice on it if he wanted. Since it’s so cold, he did not want to. When his dad picked him up, he was furious. He asked why I didn’t call. I didn’t think it was a big deal. Also, his son has a phone. He could have called. I said next time I’ll call. He said there won’t be a next time, and he’s going to look my ex-wife up and tell her about this.
I understand that times change and what once was acceptable isn’t necessarily still acceptable. I get that. He didn’t even bleed. Is this really a big enough deal to throw an adult tantrum over? If he was seriously hurt I would have taken him to the hospital. He learned not to take axes from sheds without the permission of their owners, and I would say he got a deal on that lesson. Am I the asshole?
NTA This is the kind of thing teenagers do. One of my friends came home to her son and his friends trying to cut a tree down in their yard. Her son had borrowed the car without permission, had an accident, and decided to try to cover it up by claiming a tree fell on it.
NTA – kids will be kids. At 16 and 14 you know not to play with sharp objects unsupervised. The 14 y/o grabbed an axe, the 16 y/o took it then got hurt. Play stupid games win stupid prizes. Imagine if a daycare called every time a child got a bump or bruise!! Theyd be calling parents all day. If it was a big deal the 16 y/o coulda texted dad saying “hey bumped my chin no biggie though” no need to call over teenagers being stupid and getting bruised up
Reddit infantilizing teenagers again. Mostly because t majority of y’all are teens wanting to avoid taking any sort of responsibility lmao
I have 16 year old twin boys. They do stuff like this ALL the time. We live in the country. They have bon fires, ride 4 wheelers, act ridiculous, because they’re teenagers. Shit happens. This kid’s dad needs to chill, he’s literally less than 2 years away from being able to vote or enlist in the military if he wanted to. He’s gotta figure things out on his own. Bet he won’t act dumb with an axe in his hand again….
Just kidding. He’s 16. He will absolutely do it again.
You gotta be kidding me. Acting like this over a FOURTEEN YEAR OLD getting a freaking bump to the face?? Are you kidding me?!?! WTF is wrong with everyone saying OP should have called? A 14 year old is a high school freshman (grade 9 for the non-Americans). Not a kindergartener. Boy needs to learn to care for himself when he hurts himself. If he wanted his dad to know he could have called or asked OP to call.
NTA in anyway whatsoever.
