Listen. I don’t doubt that motherhood is hard. I’ve gone on record saying that I have zero interest in having children because, frankly, I don’t want to try and handle all that responsibility.
So moms? I have a great deal of respect for you and all that you do. That being said, um … maybe let your kids have their birthdays for themselves?
“AITA for not wanting to celebrate my mom on MY birthday?”
I… don’t even know where to start with this, but start it I will.
So OP is the oldest daughter of four siblings, the younger siblings ranging between the ages of 10 and 18. Ever since OP was a kid, it’s been a family tradition to give mom gifts on her childrens’ birthdays to, quote, “give thanks for carrying + giving birth to us.”
My first reaction to this is, “I thought that’s what Mother’s Day was for?” My second reaction is to think about the shows I’ve seen where parents deal with a selfish kid who wants presents on everyone else’s birthday and how they teach them the value of, you know, NOT doing that, because the day isn’t about them.
But I dunno, I don’t have kids and I don’t want this woman to find my email address and give me the, “do YOU have children,” speech, so … sure, mom gets presents, too, I guess. I’m assuming they’re something cute and homemade and not, I dunno, $300 necklaces that you expect a teenager to buy with their high school job.
You already know where I’m going with this.
According to OP, the youngest isn’t expected to give lavish gifts because they aren’t old enough to work yet. The 16 and 18-year-old, however, better shell out the cash for something REAL nice out of fear of mom feeling too underappreciated on someone else’s birthday. This, understandably, upset OP, because who in the world pressures their kid into getting them jewelry that’s well out of their budget – during their other kid’s birthday!
I should note that, according to another post in the thread, this is only a matriarchal tradition, as dad gets gifts at regularly scheduled events like Father’s Day, Christmas, and their birthday. Dad is okay with it, though, and will straight up call the kids selfish if they don’t get a nice gift for their mom. OP mentions in this secondary thread that back when they were 17, they got their mom a less expensive gift during their sister’s birthday because they were SAVING FOR COLLEGE because their parents couldn’t afford it!
OP’s mom stopped doing it with HER mother! pic.twitter.com/lHYplGnxUd
— Jen (@such_hockey_wow) February 17, 2022
Not only did their mom tell them to take the gift back and put the frame in the junk drawer, but their dad also accused them of making up excuses so they could hang out with friends.
Just… throw the parents away, holy shit!
It’s not just the parents, it’s the entire family
After OP called their mom out for being an actual Disney villain, their dad kicked them out of the house (OP is 25, so an adult who doesn’t live with Cruella Tremaine Gothel). Now it might seem obvious that OP isn’t the asshole, but they’ve been dealing with family members who are taking their mother’s side.
Their aunt called to bitch them out, meanwhile, mom’s posting inspirational quotes on Facebook and gaining sympathy from the family. “She’s been posting on Facebook inspirational quotes about letting go of the toxicity in your life, how blood doesn’t equal family, and how hard it is to be a mother.”
Excuse. The hell. Out of me?!
Of course, Twitter is on OP’s side, because I guess we have more compassion than this mom, grandma, dad, aunt, uncle, and two cousins.
This whole story makes me deeply sad. The controlling, the threats and making an example of the OP.
— BD (@briskide) February 17, 2022
I hope therapy helps.
Parents stop acting like it’s your kids fault you decided to have them challenge.
— chubby brown girl (@sunncrussh) February 17, 2022
It seems like parents who demand repayment or tribute from their children for having made them or for doing the basic things parents have to do to raise children usually aren’t the best parents and this is…not convincing me otherwise.
— J. Lily Corbie 🦇 (@JLilyCorbie) February 17, 2022
Like… what can we do to give OP their own birthday for once? I just… wow.
WOW!
(Image: Disney)
