So my sister bought my daughter (6-years-old) a bento box that cost 50 dollars. Thursday after school, my daughter came home, and while unpacking her backpack like I usually do, I noticed that her bento box was not in there. When I asked her where it was, she stated that a girl in her class named Audrey (fake name) had taken it and refused to give it back.

I asked if she went to her teacher, and she said yes, but her teacher told her that it was just a lunchbox, and it shouldn’t matter. Now, Audrey’s name isn’t new to my household; she and other girls always picked on my daughter, and no matter how many times I went to the school about it, nothing was done. To say I was furious was the least.

The next day, I went to the school 30 minutes before lunchtime and requested a meeting with the teacher and the principal. They brought my daughter down, and I explained the situation, and they had someone get Audrey. Audrey brought the lunchbox to “prove” that it was hers, but I asked them to open the lunch box because my daughter’s name was inside, and long behold, when she opened it, there was my daughter’s name as clear as day. When I requested she gives it back to my daughter, she began crying.

The teacher asked if it would be okay if Audrey kept it for the day since her food was already in there, and I said no, they had 5 minutes to find something else to put her food in, or I would be dumping it out. Instead of finding her a closed container, they began arguing with me, so I stood up and grabbed the bento box, and in front of all of them, I threw the food out into the trash can.

Grabbing my daughter’s hand, I walked out of the office with the bento box, leaving them to comfort the crying girl. Hours later, I told my sister what happened, and she said that even though I had the right to be mad, I could’ve just let her have it, and she would’ve bought my daughter another bento box. I feel like it’s the principle, though: why should we have to buy something again for my daughter that she already had because some entitled kid wanted what’s hers? Am I wrong?

By the way, Audrey can afford her own bento box. We live in a fairly high class neighborhood, that’s all I’m going to say. She took my daughter bento because she’s a bully. Moreover, my daughter will be switching schools at the end of the semester.