Anti-Vax Friend Loses It After Being Told “I’m Not Putting My Kid At Risk For Your Choices”

There are dozens of valid ways to raise children. And every parent will have to make decisions about what works best for their family. Should their kids be allowed to watch television on school nights? How often should the children be given dessert? And is a public school education really the best option for them?

We can’t make these decisions for anyone else’s kids, so we must respect what their parents decide. But one mother couldn’t keep her opinions to herself when she realized that a close friend’s child might be putting other kids in danger. Below, you’ll find a post that this concerned mom recently shared on Reddit detailing why she won’t allow her son to be around a friend’s unvaccinated baby.

All parents want to do everything they can to protect their children

Woman holding and kissing her baby, illustrating concern about unvaccinated kids in social settings.

Image credits: Natalia Blauth / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

So when this mom found out that a friend has no plans to vaccinate her baby, she decided that she’ll be keeping her own son far away

Woman discusses not allowing her child around a friend's unvaccinated kid, causing a huge fallout.

Text about a woman refusing to allow her child around an unvaccinated kid, causing a major fallout.

Woman refuses to allow her child around a friend’s unvaccinated kid, causing family conflict and fallout.

Mother refuses to watch grandchild due to unvaccinated kid, citing health risks and vaccine concerns sparking fallout.

Woman lying in bed looking concerned at her phone, illustrating fallout over unvaccinated kid discussion.

Image credits: Ron Lach / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Text message describing a woman upset over her friend's refusal to allow their child near unvaccinated kids.

Alt text: Text discussing woman refusing to allow her child around unvaccinated kid, leading to a huge fallout between friends.

Woman tells friend she won’t allow her child around unvaccinated kid, causing a huge fallout between them.

ALT text: Text discussing a parent refusing to allow their child around a friend's unvaccinated kid, sparking fallout.

Image credits: Sultry-Blooms

Close-up of gloved hands preparing a vaccine injection highlighting concerns about unvaccinated kids and child safety debates.

Image credits: Mufid Majnun / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Vaccines have saved millions of lives over the past few decades

Vaccinating children against infectious diseases has been the standard in the United States since the 1940s. Vaccines have saved countless people from contracting smallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B and more. 

Naturally, most parents are happy to get their children vaccinated per their doctor’s recommendations. However, for some reason, there has been a growing skepticism around vaccines in recent years. 

According to USA Facts, only 72.8% of children born during 2020 and 2021 received their full set of seven vaccines by the time they were three years old. Meanwhile, nearly 75% of kids born during 2013 and 2014 had been given their full set of vaccines by age three.

Despite the fact that vaccines have been proven to save lives (over 154 million by the World Health Organization’s count), some parents still refuse to acknowledge the importance of these shots. And one reason for this is because myths surrounding vaccinations have been running rampant online in recent years.

Resistance to taking the COVID-19 vaccine seems to have sparked widespread skepticism around all vaccines, even ones that have been around for nearly a century. So with the help of Rush University Medical Center, let’s bust some of the most common myths that you’ve probably heard about vaccines.

First and foremost, there is absolutely no evidence that vaccines cause autism. This rumor began in 1997 with a study conducted by someone who has since lost his medical license. Autism experts agree that autism is determined prior to birth and is not impacted by vaccines whatsoever. 

Woman caring for child, gently wiping nose with tissue, illustrating concerns about unvaccinated kid and family fallout.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Failing to vaccinate children can impact the entire community

There’s also a common misconception that vaccines contain unsafe toxins. While some do contain trace amounts of formaldehyde, mercury and aluminum, Rush University Medical Center notes that the amounts present are far lower than what would be toxic to humans. And these additives actually help keep vaccines sterile and safe.

Now, if you believe that failing to vaccinate your child will only impact them, that’s also incorrect. It might have been the case if every single person in a community except one child was vaccinated.

But nowadays, we cannot rely on “herd immunity,” as too many parents have chosen to opt out of vaccinating their children. So when we have outbreaks, these infectious diseases that were once nearly eradicated can spread extremely quickly.

As of October 2025, the United States Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 1,596 cases of measles, and three people have already tragically lost their lives from this disease. Unsurprisingly, 92% of those infected were unvaccinated. But what’s even more heartbreaking is that two thirds of those infected were under the age of 20, meaning they likely had no say in their vaccination status. 

The majority of choices that we make about our bodies are personal and have no impact on anyone else. However, when it comes to vaccinating your children, it keeps not only them safe, but also their classmates, siblings and anyone else they might encounter in the community. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re looking for another Bored Panda article discussing similar issues, look no further than right here. 

Some readers chimed in with similar stories about anti-vax friends and family members

Text post about a woman refusing to allow her newborn to meet unvaccinated kids, causing family tension.

Comment discussing concerns about vaccines and protecting children from unvaccinated kids amidst rising measles cases.

Comment discussing a friend who does not vaccinate her three kids and the choice to decline invitations due to unvaccinated children.

Comment on vaccination concerns from a mother refusing to allow her child near an unvaccinated kid, sparking fallout.

Commenter discusses vaccine importance and fallout from woman refusing her child to be around unvaccinated kids in heated debate.

Text post from SnooWords4839 about a woman refusing to allow her child around an unvaccinated kid, sparking fallout.

Text post discussing concerns about vaccinations and interactions between children with unvaccinated kids sparking fallout.

Many readers agreed that the author had every right to set boundaries and protect her child

Comment from user discussing concerns about unvaccinated kids and related fallout in a casual online conversation.

Comment criticizing antivax stance in a discussion about unvaccinated kids causing fallout between friends.

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Comment discussing the importance of vaccines to protect children from preventable diseases and illness risks.

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Comment discussing a woman refusing to allow her child near an unvaccinated kid, causing a major fallout.

Later, the mom shared a brief update and clarified some details about the situation

A baby receiving a vaccination with a healthcare worker applying a bandage on the child's arm after the shot.

Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Text update discussing vaccines' effectiveness and recommending vaccination before travel to avoid illness and medical issues.

Text about flu vaccine benefits emphasizing reduced risk of severe illness and death, relating to unvaccinated children concerns.

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Woman explains refusing to allow her child around unvaccinated kid, sparking major fallout and social debate.

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Text excerpt about a woman refusing to allow her child around an unvaccinated kid, causing a fallout.

Woman tells friend she won’t allow her child around unvaccinated kid, causing a major fallout in their relationship.

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Image credits: Sultry-Blooms

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