I don’t have any piercings or tattoos.

Not because I’m some judgemental puritan, but because I’m a coward.

Like, ouch, yanno? And then what, I just have that on my body forever?

The fact that there are literal children less hung up on this than I am is not lost on me.

Especially as I read stories like this.

AITAH for saying no to step-mum piercing my daughter’s ears?

I’ll try to keep it brief … Daughter(7), Dad(we were together 10, married 7, divorced 2), step-mum(in daughters life approx. 18m/2y, runs a beauty shop, piercing/nails/hair).

Now that we’ve met our cast of characters, here’s the situation:

Ever since my daughter has understood what piercings are and the pain associated with having them pierced, she hasn’t wanted to get them done.

Even after explaining that it only hurts for a little while and then you’re good, still she says no.

Dad calls me tonight and says she’s asked twice this week to get them done.

I say let’s wait a little longer cause she’s always said she doesn’t want them.

I’m sus about her sudden interest.

But then, a second call…

30 minutes later, daughter facetimes me and whines for me to say yes to her getting them done tonight.

I say I’d love to be there and as she’s there at dads I think she should wait.

We end the call.

Then a THIRD call…

Step-mum calls me off Dad’s phone. I’m honest with her.

‘I’m not against her getting them done, I am against you piercing her ears. That’s a big event in a little girls life and i’d like to experience that with her.

You’ve obviously shown her that you have the equipment to do it tonight so it is a possibility to her now, but I think putting the responsibility on me to say no makes me look like the bad guy.

I feel like I’m missing out on all her cute little girl things with her mum because you cut her hair for the first time, and now you want to pierce her ears … “

We’ve got a mom-off on our hands.

Step-mum said she can’t have kids so Daughter is the next best thing.

I told her I’m not trying to push her out but she is my daughter, I’m happy to go to any reputable recommendations she has to get them pierced and we can all go with her, but no for right now.

Step-mum ended the call by saying she’s just going to take a major step back from parenting and I can just go through Dad from now on.

I’m just left feeling like I’m the bad guy now because I’m not saying no to her getting them done, I’m just uncomfortable with Step-mum doing it.

Check out what the comments had to say:

Nobody saw really anything wrong with mom’s perspective.

And this is a troubling revelation.

Here’s an apt analogy:

Oh, snap!

You should be there for these moments.

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.