To send a birthday text at 6pm

[Trufflebutter24]

It’s my cousins little boys birthday today. I see my cousin as an older sister and love her and her son and see them often.
Today was her sons 2nd birthday and I had planned to ring this morning but we were late on the school run and I didn’t get a chance.
I had the most intense day at work, and I could have text her during the day but I wanted to call and so I waited till I got home and text the minute I got in.

My kids got home at 7, I rang as soon as they got in but expected it would be too late, so sent a video of us singing.

The only response I got was “too late?”. To which I apologised.

I know feel absolutely terrible, I didn’t forget the day but now maybe she thinks I did? I’m sitting beating myself up now.

Am I out of order?

Utterly rude on their part.

This is a bit contradictory??

"and I could have text her during the day but I wanted to call and so I waited till I got home and text the minute I got in"

I have been known to contact people at 11 pm to congratulate them on their birthday.

He is 2. It won’t have an impact on him anyway.

You didn’t do anything wrong and I would not bat an eyelid about it tbh.

Let her sulk, it’s her issue after all

I agree with @TheYearofSmallThings

She was rude in her text. But, if you are close, I think you should have sent her a text to say you would call later.

Making a child's birthday between adults is a sign of valuing each other. You have obviously sent a video and a message which is lovely but at 7pm, for a 2 year old, does seen more like something you have to do, rather than made time for - I know you didn't mean it like this but may be how she has taken it (she was still very rude and unnecessary to you though).

The child is two years old and doesn't know his birthday from Christmas! She's being ridiculous.

@Trufflebutter24

I'm going against the grain here. If you think of your cousin as a sister, and her little boy, probably as a nephew, and you love and care for both them as much as you make out, I don't understand why you waited till 6:00 o'clock at night to wish the little boy a happy birthday.

Did you even bother giving him a card or gift on time? Are you one of these people? Always late because you're 'far too busy' to bother getting the birthday stuff there on time, (even though you know what date the birthday is and could easily get the stuff there a few days in advance ...)

And the text you could have sent as soon as you got up in the morning. 'Happy birthday to XXX, I will ring tonight when I get home.' No excuses. Wishing him a happy birthday clearly wasn't on your ToDo list today. Just own it.

You're being very, very unreasonable I hate late birthday greetings from people who you are (apparently) close to. I'm not surprised she was miffed. The little lad had already gone to bed probably.

Still doesn't justify such a rude response.

Why does she need to acknowledge that's it's late, she sent it when she could and it was still the same day. Seriously people need to send you a justification text if they send your child a birthday message later in the day?

@Ilovelifeverymuch I didn't say it did.

This is absolute rubbish, she can easily play it to him the next day. People's lives don't revolve around your child's birthday. When did 7pm become last minute?

I guess if I was close to her and it was unusual for her to be rude, I would make an effort to smooth things over. "Had a tough day, how was yours?" But Id not take much crap frankly, it quite a silly thing to get worked up about on a Tuesday when most people are working.

Don't feel bad.

Your cousin is being unreasonable.

😂😂 yes this is a pressing social issue... what will we do?!

I would imagine your cousin is just sad you didn’t remember her son’s birthday until the evening. It suggests he is not a big deal to you. I’m sure she will get over it…

I would have texted from work to say happy birthday and that I'd call later.

You can't please everyone all the time though.

If I got the message at 7pm, I'd play it to my child in the morning and say this arrived from x when you were in bed.

And honestly, I wouldn't give a shit it arrived at 7pm, because people have busy lives and the I know the world doesn't revolve around me and my kids.

Friends have texted me in the evening for my kids birthday, it's fine. But mine are approaching teens so maybe I've stopped caring as much about these PFB issues these days! 😆

Maybe she literally meant "too late", as in, it's too late for her to show it to him, if he had gone to bed by then?

yeh he's in bed, it's too late for him to get it.
maybe 2 seconds for a quick text from work would have been better

Does she realise you have a life and her child wouldn’t even notice as he’s so young.

She’s daft

This and you knew it was later than ideal for a two year old so should have acknowledged it

Knowingly sending it in the evening when a child would be asleep means it's late.

I mean fine. Why bother having a birthday if people are going to celebrate it any day of the year. It's like people saying happy birthday for next week. It's meaningless until the day of.

Perhaps he was already in bed?

I was on board with you sending it in the evening until I realised her son will have been asleep by then - so it will no longer be his birthday by the time he gets it. That sort of is too late?

YANBU. She's being a birthdayzilla and it's not even her birthday.