Disciplining kids can be a tricky balancing act. Does the punishment fit the crime? Do both parents agree? What is the most effective way to correct unacceptable behavior for that specific kid? Things don't necessarily get easier as children get older, either.
Sometimes, after a heated exchange, parents reflect on the discipline they doled out, only to second-guess themselves. Other times, they resort to asking strangers if they were in the wrong by taking to the AITA subreddit. One stepdad did just that after canceling his teen stepdaughter's birthday party after overhearing her insult a boy at school.
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The stepdad explained on Reddit why he canceled his stepdaughter's birthday party.
In his AITA subreddit thread, the stepdad explained that he has a 17-year-old stepdaughter, Hannah. "She had her birthday yesterday & asked me for money to buy gifts for her classmates," he recounted.
"I agreed but said that she had to buy things for everyone." Hannah decided to purchase chocolates and took them to school.
Boys at school teased another boy when Hannah gave him chocolate.
Reportedly, the stepfather arrived to pick up Hannah from school as she distributed the chocolates.
He explained, "Two boys were nearby, and one of them said, 'No chocolates for us?' She said, 'It's only for special people,' and then gifted it to another boy. The others began to tease him because he was one of Hannah's 'special people.'"
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He was shocked by his stepdaughter's response.
In response to the boys' teasing, Hannah told one of them, "Didn't your father abandon your mother when she got pregnant? You deserve it completely."
The stepdad shared, "I was absolutely shocked."
He later edited the thread to clarify what the boys said during the teasing. Reportedly, they chanted, "Hannah loves you! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage!"
When Hannah wouldn't apologize, the stepdad canceled her birthday party.
"I asked her to apologize but she refused," he explained. "I cancelled the party she was going to hold later in the evening." Now, the stepdad's wife is mad, and so is Hannah. He wants to know: AITA?
Reddit users seemed to agree: YTA.
In the comments, Reddit users agreed the stepdad was at fault.
One person replied: "YTA. She STOOD UP for herself, and you punished her for it."
"YTA. And why is her mom even allowing you to do that?" another person wrote. "Where’s her spine? If you tried to do that to my kid, I’d just tell you that you can’t. It’s not an emergency situation. You should have slowed down and discussed with mom. You had a knee jerk reaction to a situation without knowing enough about it. Maybe projecting your own feelings into the whole thing. I’m sorry you were bullied, but you should apologize to both stepdaughter and to mom and make it right."
Meanwhile, yet another Reddit user pointed out: "So 17 year olds say stuff like that to each other all the time regardless of whether or not it’s true. I think you’re deliberately being vague and I’m not entirely sure what your relationship with your stepdaughter is like that you should be cancelling her parties? YTA."
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