AITAH for Not Apologizing After Telling My Cousin Their Baby Is Not Cute?
Family gatherings are supposed to be fun, right? Well, mine turned into a full-blown drama fest after I made one honest comment about my cousin’s newborn. Now half my relatives are calling me heartless, while the other half are secretly agreeing with me. Let me explain what happened, and you tell me if I’m really the asshole here.
The Family Dinner Disaster
Last Sunday, we had our monthly family dinner at Aunt Linda’s house. My cousin Sarah recently had her first baby, and of course, little Mason was the star of the show. Everyone was cooing over him, saying how adorable he was – except me. When Sarah shoved him in my face asking, “Isn’t he just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” I made the mistake of being honest.
“Honestly? He looks like a wrinkly old man who’s confused about where he is.”
Cue record scratch. The room went silent. Sarah’s face turned bright red, and before I knew it, she was screaming about how cruel I was while storming out with the baby.
Why I Said It
Look, I get that you’re supposed to lie about babies. It’s some unwritten social rule. But Sarah has been insufferable since getting pregnant – acting like she’s the first woman ever to have a baby, demanding special treatment, expecting everyone to drop everything for her. This was just the latest in a string of attention-seeking behaviors.
Plus, the baby really isn’t cute. I’m talking full-on Benjamin Button situation. Most newborns aren’t, let’s be real – they’re squished, red, and covered in weird white stuff. Why do we have to pretend otherwise?
The Aftermath Explosion
Since then, my phone has been blowing up. Sarah’s husband called me a “jealous bitch.” My mom says I need to apologize to keep the peace. Even my usually chill dad said I crossed a line. But here’s the thing – Sarah asked for my opinion. If you can’t handle honesty, don’t ask the question!
The only person who agrees with me is my brother, who texted: “LOL you’re not wrong though” with three crying-laughing emojis. At least someone in this family has a sense of humor.
Social Expectations Suck
This whole situation has me thinking about why we’re expected to lie about babies. We don’t pretend every painting is a masterpiece or every meal is gourmet. But with babies? Suddenly we’re all supposed to gush like they’re the second coming, even when they look like angry potatoes.
I’m not saying we should insult babies – just that maybe we shouldn’t demand people lie to our faces. There are plenty of nice things I could have said that were true (“He looks so healthy!” “Look at those tiny fingers!”) but Sarah specifically asked about cuteness.
My Refusal to Apologize
Here’s why I won’t say sorry: I didn’t say anything malicious. I stated an opinion when directly asked. If I apologize now, it sets a precedent that Sarah can demand compliments and I have to comply. That’s some weird power play I’m not interested in.
That said, I do regret saying it in front of everyone. A private conversation would have been smarter. But in the heat of the moment, after weeks of Sarah’s baby obsession, I snapped.
Where Do We Go From Here?
The family is divided. Some think I’m a monster who “traumatized” Sarah (dramatic much?), others are secretly glad someone said what they were thinking. My plan is to wait it out. Babies change fast – in a few months Mason might actually be cute, and this will all blow over.
But I do wonder – was there a better way to handle this? Should I have lied like everyone else? Or is there value in breaking these silly social norms, even if it causes temporary drama?
Your Verdict Matters
So here’s where I need your help, internet strangers. Am I the asshole for refusing to apologize after telling my cousin her baby isn’t cute? Be brutally honest – I clearly can handle it, unlike some people.
Vote in the comments: Team Honesty or Team Polite Lie? And if you’ve ever been in a similar situation, how did you handle it? Maybe together we can figure out the rules of baby-compliment etiquette once and for all.
