Pexels/Reddit

It takes a village to raise a child, but nobody mentioned the village was also supposed to cover the craft supplies.

One woman’s friend was planning a birthday party for her daughter and had picked up mini plant pots for the kids to paint.

All she still needed was for the woman to bring her own paints and brushes.

But the catch was the woman’s supplies were expensive and nowhere near kid-friendly, so she said no.

So instead of understanding, her friend jumped right on the guilt trips, accusing her of being uptight.

Things only got more dramatic from there.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITAH for not helping her out?

I have a friend who’s planning her daughter’s birthday party. I’ve noticed her daughter has two birthdays a year, sometimes three.

So soon her friend messaged her — and she was quick to make demands.

She randomly messaged me and told me that she bought mini plant pots to paint at the birthday party, which I thought was so cute.

She said, “Yeah, all I need to do now is for me to bring my paint brushes and paint supplies.”

But she had a problem with this proposition, so she let her friend know.

My supplies are expensive and not really “children’s paint.”

I told her I wouldn’t be able to supply the paint for her child’s party, and she told me she’s already in a tight spot from buying her birthday supplies.

Her friend wasn’t the only person struggling.

I told her I’m in a tight spot too, between Christmas and not working two weeks during December, on top of missing work because of a complicated pregnancy.

She told me I’m not really being a village, that it’s a child’s party, and not to be so uptight about it.

AITAH?

Her friend has a lot going on, but so does she.

Redditors chime in with their thoughts.

This user calls it what it is: poor planning.

Entitled people like this are the worst.

Not all paints are expensive.

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If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who feels hoodwinked after finding out the sick father she’s been supporting has plenty of money of his own.

Professional paint really isn’t suited for kids anyway.

Money was tight for both of these women, but only one of them tried to pass the bill along.

She was upfront about her objections from the very start: expensive adult supplies, a stretched holiday budget, lost work hours, and a complicated pregnancy.

A reasonable friend would have said thanks anyway and picked up a few dollars’ worth of washable paint.

The woman doesn’t owe anyone her time — or her art kit.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.