'AITA for not making my daughter switch back a gifted Labubu with her younger cousin?'

"AITA for not making my daughter switch back a gifted Labubu with her younger cousin after her uncle found out the one my daughter gained in the swap is rare with a high resale value?"

This happened over Christmas and it’s turning into a whole family drama. My daughter “Sofia” (12) and her cousin “Martina” (6 - daughter of my sister “Maria” and her husband “Jose”) were gifted blind box Labubus as part of their Christmas gift from my other sister “Sara.” They each opened their boxes. Martina got a brown one and Sofia got a pink one.

Martina immediately wanted the pink one and Sofia immediately offered a trade because she already has the pink one and was hoping for the brown one. They traded, both girls were happy, and that was that….or so I thought. Later, Martina’s parents found out from taking to someone that the brown Labubu is apparently a rare “secret” version that can sell for $250+.

Once they learned that, they called me said the girls needed to switch back and that Sofia was to return the brown one immediately. They even wanted me to drive over with it then and there despite the fact they live an hour away and it was already 8pm.

I asked if Martina actually wanted the brown one back. They said that wasn’t the point. After some pushing back, Jose admitted someone was willing to pay him $225 for the Brown one and give Martina the pink one she wants.

I said I wouldn’t force Sofia to swap back. From my perspective:

Both kids were happy with the trade and got the Labubu they wanted.

Sofia didn’t pressure or manipulate Martina into switching (if she had, I would have stepped in immediately and told her “you get what you get and you don’t get upset”).

When I asked her, Sofia admitted she knew the brown one was rare, but when I asked how much they sell for, she said they are blind boxes so you can’t buy the brown, they just make less of them. She didn’t know it was worth money. She’s not a good liar, and she appeared to be telling the truth.

Martina originally didn’t want the brown one and basically got upset when she saw Sofia got pink.

It feels like Maria and Jose only want the brown one back because they can sell it and pocket money from it.

Now they’re upset with me and saying I’m being unfair and taking advantage of a 6-year-old and Jose even called Sofia manipulative which I think is a reach when Sofia didn’t know it was worth a lot of money, she just knew they were rare to pull, that she already had the pink and Martina was crying for the pink one.

Sara has said this is “stupid parent drama” and she’s staying out of it and said we can sort it out ourselves. So AITA for refusing to make my daughter give the brown Labubu back?

EDIT: Jose called Sofia a manipulative b***h to me on the phone discussing it, not to Sofia’s face. He’d be a de*d man walking if he said it to her.

Here's what people had to say to OP:

orangefreshy wrote:

NTA. Not like your daughter is going to sell it, she wants it for her collection right? And even if she did want to sell it, it was a fair trade. Her cousin wanted the pink one.

So these greedy adults expect your daughter to trade for a toy that’s been in the possession of a 6-year-old and call it even? While they make money off a gift given to their daughter?! That’s so scummy. Not to mention the rest of their behavior is crappy too.

Theatrewolfgirl wrote:

NTA. Interesting that the moment someone finds out something is worth a set amount of money, suddenly their child’s feelings don’t matter, they call their niece a slur and they stir the family drama pot to overflowing. Jose and Maria need to back TF off you and your daughter.

Martina wanted pink, she got pink through a trade with Sofia. A very fair trade. That is where this all should have ended. It is disturbing that these two “adults” have forgotten what Christmas is all about and have instead chosen to cause harm through their words towards their niece and you.

What a pathetic person Jose is to have called your child that! Demand an apology from Jose for his comments towards your daughter, mute any texts with them, screenshot any further harassment. Hopefully this will die down faster than the Beanie Baby BS of the 90s.

Major_lawfulness6122 wrote:

NTA. I can’t imagine asking my child to give back a gift. It’s quite insane adults are arguing over a doll. Sure it has some value but $225 isn’t a crazy amount at all and I doubt in 10 years anyone’s going to care about a stupid Lafubu. Their value has already been plummeting.

BigBennyT wrote:

Look, if y'all are collecting them and treating them as such, maybe tell them you'll split the earnings and get your get another pack of labubus with the proceeds. But if they are just toys, just treat them as such. Beanie babies aren't worth shit any more and labubus won't be either. But if someone called my 12-year-old a manipulative b* I would throw hands. So fuck my first statement, f that guy.

Rockitdanger wrote:

YTA for not driving the hour and shoving that labubu down Jose's throat for the insult to your daughter. I think it's cowardly of you to pretend you'd do something to Jose if he said that to her face but you won't defend your daughter when someone directly insults her to you. Jose called your child a b***h. A child.

I'd break the sound barrier to drive over there and give him the labubu and tell everyone in the family what he called my child and he and his wife would never gift me or my child anything in the future.

Your daughter won't remember the labubu in a few years but she will always remember how she was treated over a labubu. The labubu isn't a labubu anymore. You need to get it out of your house and away from your daughter.