After Rebirth, I Refuse My Best Friend’s PUA

I once fell for my best friend's manipulation, imposing a life of frugality on Vivian, my daughter, until she reached a breaking point.

After a chance to start over, I realized my mistake.

Vivian, with a hint of fear, pointed at an expensive and exquisite dress and said, "Mom, can I just look at it?"

I responded with a generous wave of my hand, "Buy it! And get ten more like it!"

1

Miranda and I had been best friends for years. We went through the ups and downs of love, home-buying, and parenthood together, even though our divorces were just a year apart.

Though we weren't family by blood, we were the closest of kin.

Just a year after I gave birth to Vivian, I discovered my husband's infidelity.

So, I filed for divorce and took sole custody of Vivian.

Miranda often advised me, "You shouldn't dress children too finely or provide them with too many luxuries.

"Otherwise, they'll grow up thinking the world is a perfect place. When they finally face reality, they'll be ill-prepared for the hardships and setbacks."

She kept repeating her so-called wisdom in child-rearing. I took her words to heart and followed her advice. Even though I was the CEO of a company, I still gave Vivian the most basic of necessities.

Before she turned eight, Vivian had never tasted a cupcake; before she turned eighteen, she had never worn a proper dress. When she first got her period, Vivian asked me to buy her sanitary pads.

Upon hearing this, Miranda rushed over from next door. "Sanitary pads are a woman's biggest expense. Give her one a day at most, no more."

I nodded and rationed Vivian's sanitary pads.

She was only allowed one per day.

One day, she came home crying. I didn't know what was wrong. She cried and rushed into her room.

Noticing she stood in the room without sitting down, I was puzzled. "Vivian, why are you standing all the time?"

"Mom, can you give me an extra pad each day?"

Vivian hung her head low, her voice barely above a whisper as if she had done something wrong.

Upon closer inspection, I saw a dried patch of blood on her clothes, which shocked me.

I couldn't imagine how she had made her way home. My heart ached terribly.

I decided then and there to stop being so strict with her.

After all, money was no object for me.

I increased her allowance to three times what it had been!

Before long, Vivian's complexion improved significantly, and she became more outgoing.

Even Miranda, who lived next door, noticed that.

She came over and said to me, "You can't spoil Vivian like this. You need to teach her that making money is not easy and how hard work can be. Spend when necessary, but save where you can."

I understood the principle, but seeing Vivian so happy now made me feel much better.

I started to question Miranda's words, but she was my best friend, and she wouldn't steer me wrong. She raised her daughter, Elise, the same way. So, I lowered Vivian's standard of living again.