“Eat or Don’t”: Daughter Stands Her Ground After Parents Refuse Her Choice for Her Own Birthday

Matthew Gilligan

23 minutes ago

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I know that people fight with their parents (some more than others), but you’d think that by the time you were in your thirties, you’d probably be past the petty phase of feudin’ with Mom and Dad.

But some folks never really do…

Take the woman you’re about meet: she’s 31-years-old and she’s currently embroiled in a conflict with her parents…about where she wants to go to dinner for her birthday.

Oh, boy…

Check out what she had to say about this.

AITA for making my parents take me out on a birthday dinner where they will not eat?

“I 31 (F) come from a family with my parents (59F, 63M) and 2 other siblings (22M) and (29F).

We have a longstanding family tradition where our parents take us out and treat us on our birthday to a nice celebratory dinner every year as well as gift us $200. Most years my sister (29) almost always chooses fancy upscale steakhouses or seafood restaurants. My brother typically always chooses Texas Roadhouse.

I kinda like to mix it up every year but last year on my 30th birthday my parents planned nothing for me and didn’t treat me to a dinner at all. In fact, they barely acknowledged my birthday.

This year my mother decided to call me and directly ask me where I would like to go for my birthday dinner when they come back into town on Sunday and I told her I’d like to go to the Melting Pot.

Well, it is her birthday…

Her and my father both protested on the phone and tried at least 7 times to get me to agree to go to K-Pot, a Korean bbq restaurant they like that I introduced them to 2 years prior. I do like K-Pot but it’s just not where I want to go for my birthday.

My mother brought up all sorts of reasons they didn’t want to go. She stated firstly that the mall is known for cockroaches (which I won’t lie is true) but we live in a city where they’re pretty much everywhere and that hasn’t stopped her from eating at other places in the mall before.

The next thing she brought up was how pricey melting pot is. I will admit I didn’t realize how much it went up. It was now $67 per person to enjoy the full 3 course meal. However, my parents are by no means poor and can afford it if they want to. They are very well off.

What’s the big deal?

This would not be a serious inconvenience for them, however I did offer to pay for my own meal. My mother declined and said she would pay. My mother ended the call stating my father may not join us at dinner and it might be just me and her.

When I called her today to see what the plan was, I was informed that neither of them want to go so they said they will take me to the Melting Pot on the condition that neither one of them will eat or have any food at dinner and I will be the only one eating.

This could actually be hilarious…

I am considering making them follow through with their tantrum.

My mother often likes to make things all about her and this is just another example of that. I feel this dinner shouldn’t be so much about the actual meal as it is the time spent celebrating with family.

I realize this sounds petty but I feel strongly about letting them dictate my choices as it has often been an issue in the past. I understand this is a power move but…checkmate?

I’m done letting them make everything about themselves and forcing me to compromise and prioritize them. They do this frequently.

She even gave me an argument about my birthday cake because I wanted a Helluva boss (my favorite show) themed birthday cake with black and red frosting and she stated she wouldn’t eat my birthday cake either because there are dollops of black frosting…..I got the cake anyways.

AITA?”

Reddit users shared their thoughts.

This person said they all SUCK.