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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:
Zov · 05/04/2026 16:32

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 05/04/2026 16:30

It’s not something that someone ‘needs help with’ though, is it? It’s blowing out birthday candles FFS!

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And only 6 candles too. My gran (when she was 80) had a huge cake with 80 candles on, and she was a tiny frail little lady who struggled to blow out even a quarter of them! So we all helped her! No 6 year old needs help blowing out 6 candles FFS! 😆

SugarPuffSandwiches · 05/04/2026 16:32

Laserwho · 05/04/2026 16:29

So you are not going to his next birthday party. That's terrific, I'm sure your sister will be celebrating that fact and hope you stay away from other events too

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

sarcastic ross geller GIF
LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 05/04/2026 16:31

Laserwho · 05/04/2026 16:29

So you are not going to his next birthday party. That's terrific, I'm sure your sister will be celebrating that fact and hope you stay away from other events too

Not to mention holidays, going by the toilet thread

PinkNailPolish2026 · 05/04/2026 16:31

Zov · 05/04/2026 16:30

I know, I posted the wrong link!!!!! 😂 Changed it now. 😘

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🤣🤣. I thought I was losing my mind for a second there.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 05/04/2026 16:30

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.

It’s not something that someone ‘needs help with’ though, is it? It’s blowing out birthday candles FFS!

Zov · 05/04/2026 16:30

PinkNailPolish2026 · 05/04/2026 16:29

Clearly I clicked the wrong link, the one I clicked was the biscuit thread.

Edited
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I know, I posted the wrong link!!!!! 😂 Changed it now. 😘

Laserwho · 05/04/2026 16:29

So you are not going to his next birthday party. That's terrific, I'm sure your sister will be celebrating that fact and hope you stay away from other events too

PinkNailPolish2026 · 05/04/2026 16:29

Zov · 05/04/2026 16:28

Toilet thread.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5509502-aibu-to-use-main-bathroom-on-holiday-despite-en-suite?page=1

.

Edited

Clearly I clicked the wrong link, the one I clicked was the biscuit thread.

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.

Imdunfer · 05/04/2026 16:29

I think you need to consider what it is about you that you feel the need to be competitive with a 6 year old.

What you did is so far off kilter it raises serious questions about your own psyche, imo.

PinkNailPolish2026 · 05/04/2026 16:28

It was a shitty thing to do, but so was insisting you had your own toilet that even your DH couldn’t use but you expected to use everyone’s else’s toilets.

You don't seem to like anyone who calls you out on unacceptable behaviour.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 05/04/2026 16:27

I usually roll my eyes at precious parents but even I think that was a fucking awful thing to do.

Were you not getting enough attention or something? Because if he was quite happy blowing them out, your actions scream main character syndrome

SENcatsandfish · 05/04/2026 16:26

Whats the toilet thread? How can I find it?

YellowDogg · 05/04/2026 16:25

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 13:24

I won’t be going to the next one. My instincts were correct.

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Why make your drama hurt your nephew though? He’s done nothing to you and is just a child. Why would you not suck it up and celebrate his birthday.

ILoveDaffodills · 05/04/2026 16:25

nocoolnamesleft · 05/04/2026 13:21

What sort of person tries to deliberately spoil a 6 year old’s birthday?

The same sort of person that demands sole use of an ensuite, begrudging even her DH using it, THEN has the audacity to use the other bathroom because the hallway is scary! So 3 other adults don't have a toilet to use.

Boomer55 · 05/04/2026 16:22

If he’d have been 16, it might have been funny. But for a 6 year old? Just no. 🙄

ILoveDaffodills · 05/04/2026 16:20

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 13:16

Well I’m fed up of her

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Oh it's you. Why am I not in the least bit surprised.

WhatTheHellsGoingOn · 05/04/2026 16:20

viques · 05/04/2026 12:59

Was this the one who insisted on using the shared toilet rather than walk down the ooooooh scarey corridor to the ensuite they had insisted they had.

Some people eh! Mind you , if the sun shone out of my arse I would probably insist on the ensuite room……

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Link please!

WhatTheHellsGoingOn · 05/04/2026 16:18

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 13:23

No I didn’t do it to annoy her, I did it because he was struggling to blow them all out and dare I say - deliberately struggling because everyone was laughing so I simply joined in on the joke. He did laugh when I did it.

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If he was doing it as a joke (on HIS birthday) and people were laughing - why decide to end the joke? This does smack of jealousy that the spotlight was on your sister’s child OP.

ILoveDaffodills · 05/04/2026 16:18

ZoeCM · 05/04/2026 16:08

Sneering at a birthday party as "organised fun" is the sort of thing a thirteen-year-old would do. And blowing out a six-year-old's candles, and then complaining that his mum "had a strop" and relit them for him, and then saying you won't go his next birthday party... frankly, that sounds like the sort of thing a four-year-old would do.

All of that!

ACynicalDad · 05/04/2026 16:18

NovemberMorn · 05/04/2026 13:34

You made a bit of a faux pas, but it's hardly the crime of the century.
I'm sure you thought you were helping, and I'm sure you won't do it again. x

She seems to make them habitually.

Beenwhereyouareagain · 05/04/2026 16:15

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.

🤯🤯🤯

ILoveDaffodills · 05/04/2026 16:13

AliceNotInChains · 05/04/2026 12:48

There were two candles left! It’s not like I blew the whole lot out but I’ll take it on board and won’t do it again

Yeah that's a good idea, because most 6 year olds would be very upset.