Woman Is In Disbelief After Sister Asks Her To Chip In For The Cake That Her Daughter Ate 2 Pieces Of
Nothing hurts more than unreciprocated effort. In your mind, you probably go out of your way to make life easier for this individual; they are your person, after all. Your goal is to make them happy and comfortable whenever possible. But what happens when these good gestures are met with pushback? This is exactly what this Redditor had to deal with when her sister demanded she refund her for a slice of cake eaten by her teenage daughter who volunteers to babysit her cousin on the weekends.
More info: Reddit
As beautiful and tasty as cake is, it can be the cause of so much drama
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual photo)
The poster shared how her sister wanted a refund for cake slices that were eaten by her teenage daughter
Image credits: Mark Youso (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Quang Nguyen Vinh (not the actual photo)
Apparently when she went babysitting, the author’s daughter ate 2 slices of leftover cake from the kitchen
Image credits: Jaded-Band-5692
The sister demanded a refund, which the OP refused
The original poster (OP) is a single mother with a teenage daughter who lives near her sister’s family. The OP’s daughter, Carly, babysits her cousins on weekends while the OP’s sister and brother-in-law (BIL) are out. Carly volunteers to babysit, without pressure from her mom or aunt, because she likes the extra money without the hassle of getting a part-time job in retail, and the kids enjoy having her around.
Trouble arose when, after babysitting, the OP’s sister called her to say that a custom-made leftover cake from the OP’s niece’s birthday party was missing. Apparently, Carly had eaten two slices while babysitting.
The OP’s sister said Carly should have asked before eating the cake because it was expensive. The OP apologized, but her sister insisted on being compensated for it and was completely serious about it. The OP tried to lighten the mood by mentioning the cake might have gone bad if it wasn’t already stale, but clarified that she wouldn’t be giving her money for it. This didn’t amuse her sister, who claimed the OP was being inconsiderate.
Commenters had various viewpoints, with some suggesting the OP pay her sister back and tell Carly she won’t be babysitting without full and comparable compensation. Others argued that the cake wasn’t worth much, especially considering it was a two-week-old leftover.
Image credits: Gustavo Fring (not the actual photo)
The sting of unreciprocated effort is a major source of the OP’s frustration. “As a family, you’re each other’s backbones; you rely on one another for support through the good times and the bad. So, when one of your family members comes to you, asking for a favor, you feel obligated to perform whatever it is,” Thriveworks explains. “That being said, it is crucial that when doing a favor becomes a reoccurring instance, boundaries are set—preferably before things get out of hand.”
HelpGuide.org highlights the value of conflict resolution skills in dealing with family challenges. “Conflict resolution skills can come in handy anytime you’re dealing with family drama. These skills involve managing stress in the moment, being aware of both your own emotions and the other person’s, and prioritizing resolution over winning the argument.”
But while at it, make peace with the fact that some people have viewpoints or priorities that may never match your own. Your adult children, siblings, or parents will do what they feel is right for them, and you can’t control their behavior. Try to treasure the relationship for what it is, or focus on other relationships that bring you joy.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Be sure to leave your takes and stories in the comment section below!
Readers called out the sister, claiming she was being petty
Maybe that's why the babysitter's aunt was upset - that poor cake didn't have a chance to hike around the world.
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You do not buy a lemon cake, let alone a lemon CURD cake (curd adds to the price tag) for a child unless lemon is their favorite flavour. If you're buying that kind of cake without a care for what the birthday kid likes, then it's purely posturing, and the birthday party was not actually meant to be enjoyed by the birthday kid.
She clearly bought the cake for herself, kids don't go for lemon curd. The aunt is selfish and caught the consequences of being selfish via the niece eating her personal stash. As an aunt, I would never deny my nieces and nephew anything when they were with me. Being a bit old fashioned, I would go without so a kid could eat anyway of the week, no exception. This is a ludicrous behaviour from this aunt and not what a niece who believes she is with family would expect.
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No one is even mentioning whether the little cousins told Carly she could have as much of that cake as she wanted (or even the size of the slices she ate—-they could’ve practically been slivers, ffs). I mean, they’re probably sick and tired of seeing it still in the kitchen two weeks after the birthday party, when it was made very very clear that every single kid at the party, especially the birthday girl, absolutely hates lemon curd cake. However, their mom has been continuously harping about how expensive it was, and how no one’s eaten any it—-for the past TWO WEEKS—-so I wouldn’t blame the kids for offering it to Carly, who clearly liked it, because in the kids’ opinion (and mine, as I’m not a fan of that flavor either), the sooner the damned thing is gone, the better.
Maybe they begged her to eat it so mum would stop trying to make them eat it.
Load More Replies... Maybe that's why the babysitter's aunt was upset - that poor cake didn't have a chance to hike around the world.
Load More Replies... You do not buy a lemon cake, let alone a lemon CURD cake (curd adds to the price tag) for a child unless lemon is their favorite flavour. If you're buying that kind of cake without a care for what the birthday kid likes, then it's purely posturing, and the birthday party was not actually meant to be enjoyed by the birthday kid.
She clearly bought the cake for herself, kids don't go for lemon curd. The aunt is selfish and caught the consequences of being selfish via the niece eating her personal stash. As an aunt, I would never deny my nieces and nephew anything when they were with me. Being a bit old fashioned, I would go without so a kid could eat anyway of the week, no exception. This is a ludicrous behaviour from this aunt and not what a niece who believes she is with family would expect.
Load More Replies... No one is even mentioning whether the little cousins told Carly she could have as much of that cake as she wanted (or even the size of the slices she ate—-they could’ve practically been slivers, ffs). I mean, they’re probably sick and tired of seeing it still in the kitchen two weeks after the birthday party, when it was made very very clear that every single kid at the party, especially the birthday girl, absolutely hates lemon curd cake. However, their mom has been continuously harping about how expensive it was, and how no one’s eaten any it—-for the past TWO WEEKS—-so I wouldn’t blame the kids for offering it to Carly, who clearly liked it, because in the kids’ opinion (and mine, as I’m not a fan of that flavor either), the sooner the damned thing is gone, the better.
Maybe they begged her to eat it so mum would stop trying to make them eat it.
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