Special talents shouldn’t create public obligations.

Well one mother saw one elaborate birthday cake and immediately wanted her own.

The baker declined because the project required precious time and personal effort.

“No” only made the requests louder.

Let’s see how this one played out.

AITAH for refusing to make a birthday cake for my daughter’s friend?

I (33F) work a stressful and demanding job with long hours. Even when I’m done with my workday, I am still technically on-call, so I treasure my free time.

In addition to her full-time gig, she also has a secondary hobby that she’s quite good at.

In my college days, I used to work at a bakery part-time to pay for school and picked up some cake decoration skills from the confectioner. I quit the job when I graduated but have made some elaborate cakes once in a while in the years since, mainly for my partner or other family and friends.

I lean heavily into my engineering background to make them one of a kind, but a major reason they come out so well is because I make them out of love and with the person they’re intended for in mind.

She showed off her baking prowess at her kid’s latest birthday party.

A few months ago, it was my daughter’s (4F) birthday, and we had a birthday party for her where we invited some of her preschool friends and their parents. My daughter has been obsessed with Rapunzel, and for her birthday, she asked me to make her a Rapunzel cake with a tower.

I took a week off of work and made an amazing cake. My daughter was incredibly happy, and it was the talk of her friends’ circle for a while after as well.

The cake had caught some of the other parents’ attention.

Last week, I was picking up my daughter from school when I ran into one of the moms (we’ll call her Aly) that was at my daughter’s party. I had spoken to her briefly at the party, but that was my only interaction with her.

She told me her daughter, Kara (4F), loved the cake I made for my daughter and since her birthday is coming in a few days, she has repeatedly insisted on having a similar cake for her birthday. She asked me if I would be willing to make a cake for Kara as well.

The mother tries to politely get the other parent off the topic, citing her busy schedule.

I told her it took me a lot of time and effort to make the cake for my daughter, and I am not sure I could accommodate it. She kept insisting, wouldn’t take no for an answer, and I was running late, so I told her I’ll think about it and let her know.

She took down my number before I left.

Turns out, her daughter doesn’t even like this other girl.

Later that evening, I asked my daughter if Kara is a close friend since I hadn’t heard about her more than a handful of times. She said Kara is bossy and she doesn’t like her, but she’s friends with her best friend.

So she decides to not make the cake after all.

I decided it wasn’t worth the hassle and texted Aly to let her know I can’t do it because of my schedule. She replied saying she would really like me to do it and it would make her daughter very happy, and that she was willing to pay me for it as well.

I told her I understand, but that it wasn’t about the money so much as it was about the time and effort involved. I said I’d be happy to recommend some excellent bakeries in the area that could make a custom cake for her daughter.

It was then that things started getting nasty.

She said that I had managed to find the time to make it for my daughter and surely I can find some for Kara as well. I was miffed by now, and I told her that isn’t for her to decide and that I’m just not interested in doing it or continuing the conversation.

She devolved into cussing me out and told me I was being an AH by not thinking of her daughter’s happiness.

AITA?

Sounds like Aly isn’t the best at regulating her emotions!

What did Reddit have to say?

If Aly is going to basically force her to do it, then she better be willing to pay a pretty penny for it.

Sounds like Kara inherited quite a few things from her mother.

What part of “no” does this woman not understand?

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about siblings who don’t think they should have to give up their own sports’ seasons to help with their younger siblings.

It seems like getting out of paying a full-time baker was the whole point here.

This busy mother spent her vacation creating her daughter’s cake, but a near-stranger treated that loving gesture like an on-demand service.

She offered bakery recommendations and declined repeatedly, only to be cursed at for protecting her limited time.