DIVORCED PARENTS AND MONEY ISSUE

Dear Jellybean,

My parents actually broke up about a year ago and are now going through a lot of divorce preceedings. My problem is that im seventeen and so my Dad has been looking to buy me a car for awhile. So last week we saw a car that is really great and is only $300 dollars. And so i was really excited about it. But when i brought the idea up to my mom she seemed to be against the idea because she doesn't want my dad to be spending to much money during the divorce. But before i could get this information to my Dad he had already bought the car. And now I have a car but i havent told my mom yet cause i don't want my parents to fight over something that i kinda made happen. What would you say to your Mom in this situation. PLEASE HELP ME SOON!!
-CG

Dear CG,

You did not do anything wrong, and you didn't make anything happen - your dad is an adult and can make his own decisions about what to do with his money. If he chooses to spend his money on a car for you, then that's his right. Your mom might not like how your dad chooses to spend his money, but it's no longer her place to tell him how to spend it.

You need to know that it's not your place to tell your mom what your dad does, or to tell your dad what your mom does. If you get the car from your dad, and your mom is upset about the money, then she can talk to your dad about it. But it would be really unfair of her to go through you on this, because she shouldn't be pulling you into their grown-up affairs and disagreements. I think if your dad wants to buy you the car, you should take it. And if your mom gets upset, just say, "Dad felt this was how he wanted to spend his money. If you are upset about it, please talk to him and not to me, because it makes me really uncomfortable to be put in the middle." Good luck.