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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU for blowing out my nephew’s birthday candles as a joke

415 replies

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 12:34

My nephews 6th birthday party yesterday. He was struggling to blow all the candles out so I jokingly blew the remaining ones out for him. My sister went on a full on strop over it saying I ruined his moment. AIBU to think she’s completely over reacting?? She ended up relighting the candles for him to “have another go” making it a much bigger deal than it needed to be.

OP posts:
Pinkflamingo10 · 05/04/2026 19:17

dick move mate

Rileysp · 05/04/2026 19:14

NotAtMyAge · 05/04/2026 17:36

From where I sit, OP deserved to be embarrassed. It was a stupidly childish thing to do.

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Genuinely. I have misjudged the mood here. At first I didn’t see it that big an issue. I’m now questioning myself 😂

AmusedMember · 05/04/2026 18:55

You are a quite horrid really.

StephensLass1977 · 05/04/2026 17:58

Oh my God, what a horrible thing to do. The fact you even have to ask is mind-boggling.

Congratulations, everyone now thinks you're an idiot.

ImFinePMSL · 05/04/2026 17:52

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 13:16

Well I’m fed up of her

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Leave her and her children alone then!

BeanQuisine · 05/04/2026 17:50

blowing out my nephew’s birthday candles as a joke

Are you David Walliams?

Sparkhaze · 05/04/2026 17:48

Oh dear, looks like you have had your ass handed to you on this thread. I think I don't need to say any more.

OliveToboogie · 05/04/2026 17:48

Not your place to interfere. Made yourself look petty and childish

Flamingojune · 05/04/2026 17:39

Op seems to have zero remorse

NotAtMyAge · 05/04/2026 17:36

Rileysp · 05/04/2026 12:36

If this was a one opportunity she may be right. But she re-lit them

i I think she’s bang out of order in embarrassing you AND her child.

From where I sit, OP deserved to be embarrassed. It was a stupidly childish thing to do.

Chilly80 · 05/04/2026 17:35

Way to steal a 6 year olds special moment

toooldtocaremuch · 05/04/2026 17:27

Can someone link the biscuits thread please. TY

ZoeCM · 05/04/2026 17:24

OP, if you think MNers are being harsh, try this experiment:

Start a thread on reddit or another forum. "I took my eight-year-old daughter to her cousin's sixth birthday party. Her cousin was struggling to blow out the candles, so she blew them out for him. My sister was annoyed and relit the candles for him. My daughter is angry with her aunt for 'throwing at strop' and relighting the candles. She says she's not going to her cousin's birthday party next year."

Ask for their opinions on the eight-year-old's behaviour. Then see how they react when you reveal that this wasn't actually a child, but a grown woman at her little nephew's party.

Kokonimater · 05/04/2026 17:22

It doesn’t matter if he laughed. You didn’t know that would be his reaction when you did it. Are you a grown up? Totally unacceptable.

zeebra · 05/04/2026 17:14

This sets a really low bar for empathy.
This is probably only the fourth time in his memory that he is given the chance to blow out the candles on his own birthday cake (He wont remember at least the first two.) The gap between each birthday seemed forever at that age. He would be excited about his birthday for weeks. And then an adult spoils it for him- his smile was probably disbelief that a familiar adult would do that and was probably more down to surprise. The fact that his Mother felt the need to relight his candles shows his true feelings - I do not for one minute believe he wasn't bothered. I work with that age group and the only way he wouldn't be bothered is if being let down or humiliated by his Aunt is a common occurrence. Finding that sort of behaviour funny is not a typical reaction from a child.

LilyBunch25 · 05/04/2026 17:04

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 13:16

Well I’m fed up of her

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OK....so why does this matter so much then?

CompanyOfThieves · 05/04/2026 17:01

Another AIBU where the OP is told in no uncertain terms that they ARE being unreasonable but refuse to accept it. And the second one you've had like this OP.

Maybe time to start listening to the general consensus and not your own inflated ego

intrepidpanda · 05/04/2026 17:01

You made this up. Nobody is gonna do that to a six year old (except maybe 5 year old)

Tacohill · 05/04/2026 16:58

Anon501178 · 05/04/2026 16:29

Suprised at these strong reactions! He was struggling so you helped him....he had already blown some out and wasn't bothered about you helping with the last few...not sure what the big deal is.

He blew out 4 candles fine, I’m sure he could have managed to blow out the other 2.

You absolutely do not allow your child to blow out someone else’s candles and you obviously don’t blow them out yourself either.

If his parents felt he needed help then they would have helped him.

It only happens once a year and it’s one of the most exciting parts of the day.

Tacohill · 05/04/2026 16:51

He’s 6, he’s more than capable of blowing out some candles.

There is no way you would have done this for positive reasons.

Hopefully your sister won’t invite you again.

misogynyisbigotry · 05/04/2026 16:51

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 13:19

Thank you for the sensible, non hysterical response. Good to see some people on here are still capable of being civil.

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Your misogynist language isn't very civil, though. Same goes for the other bro who tried it:

Augarden · Today 13:36
Most responses here are frankly hysterical. It's not that big a deal. The child was happy, what's the problem?

Is r/AITA automatically redirecting, or something?

Bloozie · 05/04/2026 16:46

Why the fucking hell did you blow out a 6-year old’s candles for him? Who does that?! Big clap for you. You have better lung capacity and aim than a literal child. Where do we send the prize?

NovemberMorn · 05/04/2026 16:43

ACynicalDad · 05/04/2026 16:18

She seems to make them habitually.

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I was answering this thread; I have no idea who the poster is.
I do know the pile-on in this thread is pathetic .... I haven't seen anything like this since primary school.
The mean girls must be very bored today.🙄

Zov · 05/04/2026 16:33

SugarPuffSandwiches · 05/04/2026 16:32

I'm imagining the sister like this on hearing she's not going to the next one 😁

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😆

Love your username @SugarPuffSandwiches

Red Dwarf? Grin

Imdunfer · 05/04/2026 16:33

Anon501178 · 05/04/2026 16:29

Suprised at these strong reactions! He was struggling so you helped him....he had already blown some out and wasn't bothered about you helping with the last few...not sure what the big deal is.

The big deal is children can go a long way to hide their true emotions from someone they either love a lot or fear.,

How unbothered would most 6 year olds be, being shown up by an adult as being incompetent at blowing out birthday candles?

Having his birthday wish spoiled, if they do that game, by someone else blowing out the candles.

It's a shit thing to have done, imo.