‘It’s only a joke if everybody laughs’: Reddit calls out a husband’s ‘prank’ on his pregnant wife
A Reddit post went viral after a pregnant woman’s husband decided to treat her doctor’s visits as his personal prank show. When she finally banned him from appointments, he was outraged. Now, the internet is reminding him that jokes aren’t funny when only one person laughs.
Our OP (original poster) is a pregnant woman who posted on r/AITAH about how her husband loves to play a “little game” every time they leave for an OBGYN appointment. By “game,” I mean an incredibly annoying and unnecessary prank where he pretends to drive away as she tries to get in the car.
Because, apparently, nothing says “I love and support you through this life-changing experience” like messing with your already exhausted, hormonally charged, pregnant wife.
“It’s just a joke”
She notes how she’s talked to him about this many times and asked him to stop. This has even caused a fight. Even after fighting over this, he did it again and she finally told him she was done with his antics. She put her foot down and banned him from coming to future appointments.
He then lost it, of course, because now that it’s about him, it’s serious. Not when she repeatedly told him she was uncomfortable, not when she explained how stressed and exhausted she was, but when there were actual consequences for his behavior. Suddenly, it’s a “huge moment” that he’s being unfairly excluded from.
And Reddit? Oh, Reddit was not having it. One commenter summed it up perfectly, saying “Exactly! I have taught my KIDS ‘it’s only a joke if everybody laughs’ thing. And while there is nuance there to build on as an adult, that basic statement is understood by my children and respected so surely an adult should be able to get it. He’s just being an ass because he thinks it’s funny and who cares what your feelings about it are.”
That’s the crux of the issue. This isn’t just about a dumb prank. It’s about disrespect. This woman is carrying their child. She’s dealing with all the physical and emotional turmoil that comes with pregnancy, and instead of being supportive, this guy is actively making things harder for her. For laughs.
Actions have consequences
Another commenter had a chef’s kiss level of pettiness to dish out:
Honestly? Iconic. This belongs in r/TraumatizeThemBack. Sometimes people just need a taste of their own medicine, and while I’m not advocating for actual revenge, the sheer creativity in this comment is worth a round of applause.
No verdict here
The real issue here isn’t whether the prank was harmless or not. It’s about consent, respect, and emotional intelligence. If your partner tells you that something you’re doing upsets them, the correct response is not to double down and tell them they’re overreacting. The correct response is to listen and respect their feelings.
Pregnancy is not the time to test your wife’s patience. She’s growing an entire human inside of her. Her body is working overtime, and the last thing she needs is a husband who thinks her discomfort is a punchline.
So, is she the a**hole for banning him from appointments? Absolutely not, and I won’t entertain the question. Actions have consequences, and when you continuously ignore your partner’s boundaries, you don’t get to cry foul when they finally put their foot down.
The best advice I can give this woman? Stick to your boundaries. If he wants to be involved in this pregnancy, he can start by acting like a supportive partner instead of a nuisance. Because at the end of the day, it’s only a joke if everybody laughs.
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