Woman Praised for Kicking ‘Spoiled’ Child and Mom Out of Daughter’s Birthday Party
A woman was praised on Reddit after she kicked her friend's "spoiled" child out of her daughter's birthday party.
Sharing her story on Reddit's popular AITA forum, the 35-year-old mom explained she recently threw a birthday party for her 10-year-old daughter, Alicia.
Alicia's party was a typical 10-year-old's birthday celebration, complete with friends, cake and presents.
When it was time to blow out the candles on the birthday cake, Alicia's friends gathered around. That's when things took a bad turn.
The mom shared her friend, Liz, suddenly pulled her aside to ask if her daughter Quinn "could blow out the candles with my daughter because her daughter was about to pitch a fit."
"Alicia and I both said no, and Quinn started to cry," the woman wrote, adding Quinn throws a tantrum "whenever the attention isn't on her."
Unfortunately, the child's tantrum didn't stop there.
When it was time to open presents, Quinn continued to throw a fit, demanding she be allowed to open some gifts because Alicia "was getting everything."
"It was so embarrassing because even people outside of our party room heard," the mother shared.
"After everyone left the room, I told Liz that she needed to take her daughter home," the woman continued, adding the child "was making Alicia's party about her."
"I said that Quinn obviously didn't want to be there because the day wasn't about her, so it would make sense to just leave," she added. "Liz tried to say she would calm Quinn down, but I wouldn't even let her speak. I demanded that she leave and went out to watch my daughter play."
However, when the woman's husband found out, he told her she "should have just let Quinn stay instead of causing a scene."
Even though her daughter had a good time, the mom wondered if she made the right decision.
Reddit users rallied around the mom in the comments.
"As the mother of a 3-year-old, I totally get wanting to just give in to your kid to spare the tantrum because they're just exhausting. But it's my job to teach her how to deal with her feelings," one user wrote.
"I chose to have this kid. I have to take responsibility for her. I can't stand parents that don't tell their kids 'no.' It's just lazy parenting, to be honest," someone else commented.
"She actually asked you if Quinn could blow out the candles? What in the hell type of entitlement is that? I can see a 5-year-old getting jealous like that, but at 10 it's just terrible parenting," another supportive reader shared.
"You did fine asking her to leave. I'm actually glad you're putting your foot down when Quinn's own mom couldn't even do it. That child is going to be everyone else's problem because her mom can't control her," one user weighed in.
There is no perfect solution to preventing a child's tantrum. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, there are several ways parents can manage such outbursts.
Parents are urged to "be consistent" with a daily routine so that children know what to expect. Scheduling events and activities when children are least likely to be tired or hungry is a helpful tactic for parents with children prone to throwing fits.
"Praising good behavior" is another helpful tip offered by the Mayo Clinic, as is giving your child a sense of control: "Let your child make appropriate choices by avoiding saying no to everything, let them choose between options and make them feel as if they have a sense of control."