AITA: Am I the Asshole Part One
- Catherine Moscatt
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
It seems like every Youtuber is reacting to Reddit stories. Forgive me, if I jump on the bandwagon.
r/AmItheAsshole • 11h ago
AITA for buying my niece period panties
“My (30s F) brother in law is separated from his kids mother and last week they came into town to spend the weekend with us. Whenever they’re in town my husband and I usually let them spend the night at our house so they can spend time with our kids.
While they were here my niece (11) got her period. I use a menstrual cup so I didn’t have any pads at all. When I asked her what kind her mom buys for her she didn’t really know and said that she doesn’t like pads because they feel weird and slide back sometimes and she ends up leaking on her pants. I told her that I had that issue a lot when I was her age and agreed that pads are sometimes really inconvenient.
I asked if she wanted to try something different and she said yes. I told her that I thought she was a little young for tampons or a cup but I suggested period panties. I’ve never personally used them but my best friend does and swears by them. We called her and got advice on the best kind to get and everything like that. I took her to target and got her a few pair.
Later in the week my brother in law called me & my husband and told us that his ex was really mad that I bought the panties for my niece. He said that she said I had no right to do that and that it’s weird that I would buy panties for her daughter. I explained that I was just trying to help and while he understands and doesn’t think I did anything wrong, his ex is now saying that the kids can’t come to my house anymore.”
That’s honestly kind of bizarre. I can kind of see why a mother might be upset if you bought her daughter tampons (some women think tampons take a girl’s virginity which is not true by the way). Even then OP (original poster) was doing a good deed and just trying to help. Was it the niece’s first period? Even if it wasn’t, the niece is away from home and probably kind of embarrassed. You helped her feel more comfortable in a home that isn’t home. I think it’s weird (and a shame) that the niece can’t come to the house anymore. My take? The woman is probably overly protective. She wants to be the only one doing “mom” things for her daughter. She might be jealous. Anyway thats my take. And no you are not the asshole.
r/AmItheAsshole • 10d ago
[deleted]
AITA for not saying thank you when a parent returned my son's lunch box
I (35F) have a son (4M), let's call him Ben. I pack lunch for all my kids and purchased Bento lunch boxes for each of them. They go for about $50 on Amazon. I label my kids lunches, lunch box, as well as pretty much everything they own and take to school. A few weeks ago when I went to pick up my son from school on a Tuesday, I noticed that his book bag was a little light, and when I looked inside I realized that he was missing his Bento box. No biggie - I mentioned it to one of the after school teachers and she said that she had accidentally sent it home with another kid (he has a similar name to my son - let's say Ken). I should note that I have never met this kid or his parent.
Any way, again, no biggie, I just kindly asked her have the parent return the lunch box the next day. The following day I inquired about the lunch box and the teacher said that the parent had messaged her saying she would bring it the following day as they are PT students coming on T/Th. Alright cool. Thursday comes around and after school I'm like okay, where's my son's lunch box. The teacher tells me the parent forgot it but will def bring it next Tues. I'm a little annoyed, but I figure I'll give the parent some grace. Next Tue comes, and no lunch box. At this point, I'm properly annoyed. I mention the missing lunch box to my son's daytime teachers. Asking them to reach out to this parent so I can get my son's lunch box back because wtf.
Fast forward to another WEEK. Still no lunch box. Apparently the mother is postpartum and very forgetful. She made a joke to the teacher saying the lunch box was getting closer to school because she put it by her front door. Needless to say, I'm properly pissed. I really don't understand why this is such an ordeal...just put the lunch box in your car or your kid's book bag to bring to school. My husband wants me to find the parent and confront her myself, but the teachers won't give me her name, and I can never catch the kid or her at pick up. Sooo I send a very stern email to the principal, admin, and all my son's teachers expressing my frustration with this and explaining that I want my kid's stuff. I guess they FINALLY are able to get through to this parent and the next Thursday (nearly 4 WEEKS later), she meets me and brings the lunch box. She apologizes and she tried to joke about the situation, but I was so annoyed that I just kind of stared at her blankly. Then I just said okay, took the lunch box and left. She apparently told some of the other parents that I was rude to her and that I could have been more APPRECIATIVE that she brought the lunch box back. Ma'am...(eyeroll). So anyway, AITA for not saying thank you?
EDIT: Soooo last Friday we had a Halloween parade at the kids school and a lot of the parents were there. One of the parents who heard about the “hostage lunchbox,” was chatting me up and I was explaining the situation, and for those of you who said she wanted it for herself - spot on. Apparently her son really liked it and was always telling his mom for it, but she didn’t want to get it for him. When it was mistakenly put in her son’s bag, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to just keep it. She thought I would just let it go and she would be able to keep it for her son. But no dice on that. Circling back to the folks who were talking about the price of the lunchbox — it’s BECAUSE it’s expensive that I wanted it back. I’m not made of money and I buy quality stuff for my kids so they can last throughout the school year and beyond, so for me to just “let it go,” and then have to spend money to purchase another one wasn’t going to happen. Plus I really did feel like she was playing games with me. Anywho, I’ll admit that I wasn’t the nicest when she returned it (I'm only human), but when I saw her at the parade I made sure I was polite-ish and showed her the link if she wanted to get the lunchbox for her kid as well as mentioned that there were some less expensive options. All's well that ends well”
First of all I actually had to Google Bento boxes to see what they were. They seemed pretty cool and if I worked outside the home I might get one for myself (I don’t). This woman is definitely not as forgetful as she pretends. As a camp counselor I know lunchtime (and swimtime!) can get hectic and items can be sent home with the wrong kid (one time after swim we sent a kid home with the wrong underwear. His mom was not pleased),but forgetting to return an item for more than four weeks is definitely more than an oversight. You are clearly not the asshole and you went above and beyond for that mom showing her more affordable options.
r/AmItheAsshole • 2d ago
AITA for telling my mom's boyfriend his son is not my responsibility?
My (M20) parents divorced when i was 16, and it was messy. I live with my mom now and, her boyfriend "Mark" (43), and Marks son "Liam" (11). Im in my second year of college, which is its own special kind of stress with exams and projects.
The dynamic is fine, usually. Mark is okay, but he has a habit of assuming im a newly acquired babysitter. Liam is a good kid, but wasn't raised properly (which is another entire thing) and he's just 11, he's energetic, loud, and is very impersonal and doesn't understand the concept of personal space yet.
The issue happened this past Saturday. I had a massive assignment due on Monday morning, and I was planning on spending the entire weekend at the library on campus. On Saturday morning, as I'm packing my bag, Mark comes to me to let me know he and my mom are going away and i need to keep an eye on Liam.
I was immediately stressed, so I told him i can't and that i have to go to uni to focus on my uni work.
He waved me off and said its fine and i should take him along with me to campus and keep him busy on the tablet. immediately i was liek fuck no, im not taking an 11 year old kid to my university while i need to focus on a big submission.
I said no, trying to be firm, saying that i cannot be responsible for him for an entire day at my uni, and i asked if he couldn't stay at a friends or at his grandma's or moms.
Marks face fell and he looked genuinely annoyed. He told me its just one day and that trying to organise stuff with other parents and family would be too much of a hassle, and that the least i could do was help out.
I couldn't take it honestly, so i snapped. Ive been under a lot of pressure for printing assignments and group work etc, and that was lowk the last straw.
I told him that Liam is HIS son, not mine, he is NOT my responsibility, I didn't choose to have a kid when i wasnt ready and my only obligation is to get my degree and move out.
They both went silent for a bit, visibly upset and after a while Mark just said its fine and that i shouldn't bother asking them favours in the future. My mom later that day texted me and said i was disrespectful and hurtful, which i did lose my temper slightly but i feel like they had no right to try and force Liam as my responsibility so last minute.
AITA for what i said?
Um no? You are a family member not a babysitter for hire. He is not your kid, therefore he is not your responsibility. It would be nice if you could help out but you can’t. You have other obligations and that’s not your fault. Mark just sprung this on you, which makes me think he’s very entitled and maybe your mom just wanted to keep the peace. I probably would have lost my temper too. Not the asshole.
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