'AITA for cancelling thanksgiving because my family doesn't agree with my house rules?'
"AITA for canceling thanksgiving dinner after my family refused to follow one simple rule?"
Laura_antonela writes:
For years, I’ve been the one to host Thanksgiving dinner. I actually love cooking and bringing everyone together. But this year, my youngest child has a medical condition that weakens their immune system, so the doctors advised us to be very cautious about contact with anyone showing symptoms of a cold or flu.
So, I made a simple request in our family chat: if anyone felt sick or had cold symptoms, please skip dinner this year. I didn’t think it was a huge ask—just a small precaution for my child’s health. But when I brought it up, a few family members got upset.
They said they couldn’t just miss Thanksgiving over a “small cold” and that I was overreacting. Some even joked that if anyone sneezed, I’d throw them out of the house. I tried explaining, but no one seemed to take me seriously.
After a lot of back and forth, I decided to cancel Thanksgiving dinner at my place and told them they could gather elsewhere if they wanted. Now, several family members are angry, saying I went too far and that I ruined Thanksgiving with an “absurd rule.”
Others think I’m punishing everyone just because they didn’t follow my “demands.” Honestly, I was only trying to protect my child, but now I feel guilty. AITA for canceling dinner instead of risking someone coming sick?
OP responded to some comments:
ChickSec says:
NTA. Like you say, you’re protecting your child. Imagine your child getting super sick because a family member brought a cold to your home, then how would they feel? They’re being selfish, let them sort their own dinner.
OP responds:
I thought they were going to have another reaction and that they would try to be careful before the date so as not to get sick. I never would have imagined that my family would react like this. It has been a disappointment.
WizardofWubWub says:
NTA. Plenty of time anyway for them to come up with a new plan.
OP responds:
That's what I think, they have time to organize something. That's why I didn't think it was such a bad idea to cancel.