Money Moral Dilemma: Should I ask my dad's wife to pay me for my houseplant?

carooley

 I speculate that the wording of your ask of your dad’s wife didn’t include ‘for me’… but if it did.. are you going to reimburse her for her time and expertise (green fingers are usually not just a lucky quirk in ability but directly linked to practical and more ‘academic’ study) the specialist soil, maybe a new pot, plant food etc etc. it reminds me of a computer expert friend saying very regularly folk feel it’s ok to ask a ‘could you just (insert entitled need here that you don’t want to pay someone to do) with an expectation that they will do it free… it’ll only take you a few minutes, which may well be the case for him, after years of study and work. Plant care takes more than a few minutes, most always.. Enjoy the plant when you visit, as you might stay welcome and perhaps some wisdom will be imparted if you ask nicely. Ooooo, maybe you could ask for joint custody? 

JamesyMac

Really struggling to ‘be kind’ here.

If she doesn’t offer it back, let her keep it. Also, have a word with yourself.

bluebubblerose

for goodness sake - let the woman keep the plant! why cause family conflict unnecessarily?

fatbelly

Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. 

You can sing this to yourself if you want

elizabethhull

fatbelly said:

Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. Let it go. 

You can sing this to yourself if you want

Absolutely this !!!

Ed264

If you want it back, simply ask for it back, and remember to thank her for what she did to save it. Alternatively, go and buy yourself another orchid. You can even buy them in motorway services for less than £10.

austriaviola

Five months ago, I asked my dad's green-fingered wife if she could use her skills to nurse an orchid back to health for me. It's now looking healthy and pretty - but on their windowsill. Should I ask her to pay me for it if she wants to keep it, or should I just let her have it as she saved it?

There is nothing here to suggest that the stepmother wants to keep the orchid.  Has the poster asked for it back?  Has the stepmother said that she wants to kee pthe orchid?  Maybe she's still nursing it, thinking there is still something she can do to help it.  Maybe she's waiting for the poster to collect it.  From the information presented, it sounds like an issue with communication: it doesn't sound like a money issue at all.

keithyno.1

This MMD’s not even worth commenting on.

But I felt I had to  😂

Woolsery

[DELETED BY FORUM TEAM]

  To those struggling vainly against massive price rises and an unnecessarily dislocated economy, it must feel like just another kick in the teeth to have this presented as a 'dilemma.'

Booksandplants

Oh, there’s such a moral dilemma here!  As a stepmother myself, I would feel pleased that the stepchild had entrusted me with a very precious plant which they had failed to look after.  However I would also feel quite impressed with them if they had the courage to ask me for it back!  

Get a grip stepchild, and buy another.  And give it to your stepmother before you kill it.

And before anyone says, my reply is tongue in cheek.  Slightly.