As a single dad, I do my best to make my 13-year-old daughter happy. When she asked me to take her shopping for makeup, I thought it would be a great way to bond. She picked out several items, and we headed to the checkout.
When the cashier rang everything up, the total came to $500. I was stunned. I looked at her and said firmly, “You’re only getting one thing.” She immediately protested, shouting, “I need all of them!” Everyone in the store was looking, and I felt embarrassed.
Just then, a sales associate stepped in and gently took my daughter over to a section with more affordable options. We ended up leaving with a bag of items totaling $50, but my daughter was clearly unhappy.
Later, I overheard her talking to a friend on the phone, saying, “Dad doesn’t care about me. He just wants to save money.” That crushed me. The truth is, I care deeply—but I just can’t justify spending that much on makeup. I want her to understand that without feeling unloved.