My 5-year-old son’s birthday is coming up, and he asked for a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. Since it’s his special day, I said yes.
My mother-in-law can sometimes be selfish, and when my son told her about the chocolate cake and ice cream, she said she didn’t like that and thought we should get something everyone likes.
My son replied, “It’s not your birthday, so you don’t get to decide.” Normally, that would be rude, but I had said the same thing to him before when he didn’t like the cake at a friend’s birthday party. We talked about how the birthday person gets to pick their cake flavor.
My mother-in-law was surprised, and I told her the same thing I told my son: “When it’s your birthday, you can pick any flavor of cake you want.”
She called me a jerk and my son a spoiled brat. I told her, “With that attitude, you won’t be coming to the party.”
My husband was upset and tried to convince me to get a cake for my mother-in-law too, since we had been “rude” to her. I told him no, it’s our son’s birthday, and allowing her to act that way would only confuse him. It would teach him to feel entitled at other people’s events.
My husband understood my point. Our son was really excited about his birthday cake and now understands that other people also get to enjoy their special days the way they want.
My mother-in-law still doesn’t agree and wants our son to apologize for what he said. My husband and I think our son didn’t do anything wrong.
She said she won’t come to the party or buy a gift unless our son writes an apology note. I told her that’s her choice.