'She almost vomits at the table': Aunt crashes 11 year old's sushi restaurant birthday dinner despite hating Asian food

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Feb 17, 2024 12:00 PM EST

One of the most annoying kinds of family members are those who expect their desires to be front and center of every decision that other people make. During most get-togethers, accommodations are to be expected — they're necessary, even. However, there is a stark difference between getting your needs met and causing totally superfluous drama.

It's especially wrong when this is done at a time when somebody else is meant to be the center of attention, something that one Redditor was irritated by when her sister-in-law made a scene at their son's birthday. 

The eleven-year-old had requested a meal at a sushi restaurant, which the wider family was then invited to when it turned out they would be visiting. His aunt, who dislikes Asian cuisine, first requested that the reservation be changed and then had a theatrical reaction to the meal that she ordered. 

Asking Reddit if they were in the wrong for complying to their son's request over their sister-in-law's, it was clear who took precedence. There were even dishes on the menu that may have been more to her taste.

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  • 01
    r/AmltheAsshole u/No Stop5360 · 1d AITA for insisting on sushi? Not the
    via No_Stop5360
  • 02
    My son, 11 year old, requested Sushi for his birthday dinner so I made reservations at a local sushi place. Found out my in-laws were coming into town and they wanted to get together so I invited them along. My sil hates any food that is of any Asian origin, says it gives her migraines and in the past would usually decline going out if we did not accommodate her, and we almost always accommodated her. I spoke to my son about how his aunt did not like Asian food and asked if he would consider ano
    via No_Stop5360
  • 03
    SIL calls the me the morning we had reservations and asks if we can change the restaurant. I said I was sorry but I already asked. I sent her the menu and told her they might have other food and to check. She again complained about the likelihood of getting a migraine. I told her I was sorry, but that was all my son wanted and she was welcome to come the next day to spend time with us. She chose to come anyway.
    via No_Stop5360
  • 04
    Long story short she orders a Chinese dish although other items were available, hates it, almost vomits at the table. Then my mil and bil feel sorry for her, my oldest daughter also felt bad. All the attention was on sil when they brought out my son's bday dessert. The whole scene kinda ruined the moment, but I tried to make the best of it. At the end of the meal, mil turns to me and says what a shame it is we had to have Asian food and now sil will be sick for weeks (apparently her migraines do
    via No_Stop5360
  • 05
    AITA for not picking a different restaurant? Edit: Son has other celebrations planned this weekend, so don't worry about him, he's gonna have a blast. We had a nice talk about when to and when not to feel guilty about something. This was one of those situations where he shouldn't take any of the blame.
    via No_Stop5360
  • 06
    SIL was not formally invited. My in-laws stay with her when they come to town. She chose to tag along. I was hoping she would either not come or order one of the American dishes. In-laws are nice despite their enabling sil's behavior and her neverending medical issues. I could not tell her to stay home, it would have ruined the night just as much and hurt my son's feelings. He loves them. Some of you are confused about the type of restaurant. Their main attraction is Sushi but they also have a m
    via No_Stop5360
  • 07
    rainbowunicornes 1d Partassipant [1] NTA your sis in law shouldnt have come. your son is the star of the show, if he wanted to eat sushi, then sushi it is also what kind of disease does she have where she can't eat 'asian' food? this is just so weird edit: I noticed a lot of you talked about having allergies to MSG and ginger. I didn't know that could cause migraines. r/todayilearned but that doesn't make SIL any lesser of an AH. she should have eaten in advance before going to the sushi place,
    via rainbowunicornes
  • 08
    Individual_Shirt_228 1d NTA. How has your SIL convinced anyone that all Asian food causes migraines? That doesn't even make sense. I would just stop inviting her places. Reply : 43.7k 3.7k No_Stop5360 OP. 1d I'm not convinced she doesn't like it. I think it's attention seeking behavior, or neurological. She keeps her stories straight going on 15 years
    via Individual_Shirt_228
  • 09
    NTA. 12_22_23 1d Aficionado [16] It's your son's birthday. He asked for sushi. You took him somewhere that does sushi. That was nice of you. My sil hates any food that is of any Asian origin, says it gives her migraines Seems unlikely. "Asian origin" covers a huge variety of countries, cultures, and cuisines, but she expects people to believe that all of it causes her migraines? I don't buy it.
    via 12_22_23
  • 10
    would usually decline going out if we did not accommodate her, and we almost always accommodated her You're teaching her a bad habit by constantly accommodating her "migraines". I spoke to my son about how his aunt did not like Asian food and asked if he would consider another location Why should he? It's his birthday, not your SIL's.
    via 12_22_23
  • 11
    So I called in-laws, explained the situation, and told them they could come to our house for the Superbowl the next day instead if they wanted So SIL knew that the food for your son's birthday dinner would be sushi. Which makes her next action perplexing: SIL calls the me the morning we had reservations and asks if we can change the restaurant No. Heck no. She needs to stop messing you around. She again complained about the likelihood of getting a migraine Then she should bring along a Tylenol.
    via 12_22_23
  • 12
    I told her I was sorry, but that was all my son wanted and she was welcome to come the next day to spend time with us. She chose to come anyway. Of course: if she didn't come along then she wouldn't get to complain and make the situation be all about her. Long story short she orders a Chinese dish although other items were available, hates it, almost vomits at the table.
    via 12_22_23
  • 13
    Y'know, I suspect that she could have ordered white rice and steamed broccoli. And if that would have given her a migraine then she needs to see a doctor. Then my mil and bil feel sorry for her, my oldest daughter also felt bad. All the attention was on sil when they brought out my son's bday dessert. And now her ulterior motive is revealed. She can't stand not being the center of attention. It's your son's birthday? That doesn't matter any more because she chose to come along and eat food that
    via 12_22_23
  • 14
    | The whole scene kinda ruined the moment I can well imagine. Your son is only 11 but likely acts more mature than your SIL does. but I tried to make the best of it You're a good parent. At the end of the meal, mil turns to me and says what a shame it is we had to have Asian food Your SIL didn't have to have Asian food. She chose to have it knowing that it supposedly makes her sick. and now sil will be sick for weeks What bs. If I knew that eating something would make me sick for weeks then I wo
    via 12_22_23
  • 15
    Son of course now feels bad... Night ruined. That really sucks for your son. He shouldn't have had to put up with MIL and SIL choosing to ruin his birthday dinner. Any chance you could take him out next week for another dinner, this time without MIL and SIL? | AITA for not picking a different restaurant? No, and don't ever think that you are.
    via 12_22_23
  • 16
    random_pseudonym314 1d Partassipant [2] Asia comprises a third of the earth's land area and has a population of 4.5 billion people. I'm pretty sure she can find some food from there she can eat. : No Stop5360 OP • 1d Logical people agree! Reply 41.3k
    via random_pseudonym314
  • 17
    schaden_friende 1d NTA. An appropriate response would have been, "Actually, MIL, it's a shame SIL's xenophobia and stupidity got in the way of celebrating son's birthday. Next time we'll make sure she knows she's not welcome if she can't at least pretend to be civilized".
    via schaden_friende
  • 18
    HotHouse Tomatoes 1d Partassipant [1] NTA. SIL is a lying hypochondriac who made herself sick. There is nothing in Asian food to cause migraines. She shouldn't have eaten it if it would genuinely make her sick, so she did it on purpose. It was your child's birthday and they get to do whatever they want.
    via HotHouseTomatoes
  • 19
    jeszmhna 1d Don't feel bad, your SIL chose to came and she purposely made vomiting sounds etc to "teach you a lesson" for next time, it was a clear manipulation move to make you feel bad that you "forced her to eat this". She had an option to not come or not even eat, this option was presented MULTIPLE times to them and instead of focusing on your child's birthday she desperately needed the attention to be on her. If your son feels bad please have a chat to him and it's a good time to present th
    via jeszmhna
  • 20
    No Stop5360 OP • 1d I had a nice chat with my son last night. He understands not to feel bad, that sil made her own adult decisions and he is not to blame. If I were to specifically exclude her, it would have ruined his bday too because he loves his grandma, uncle and aunt. The in-laws would be hurt... They are nice people despite enabling sil's behavior. Honestly, it's kind of a good lesson for son to learn not to feel bad in situations like this. And believe me, he has been celebrating all wee
    via No_Stop5360
  • 21
    Winter Dragonfly_452 1d Partassipant [1] NTA. As a lifelong migraine suffer, there is no way I'm going to eat or be around food that gives me a migraine. And I would never ever expect anybody to change the location where they're going to have a birthday celebration or any meal for that matter to accommodate me. Your sister-in-law made a stupid decision, and now she's paying the consequences. And she's most likely getting the migraines if she gets them from the MSG that can give people migraines.
    via Winter_Dragonfly_452
  • 22
    G Joubachi 1d Partassipant [1] NTA she just sounds racist, simple as that. No, MSG is very unlikely to be the cause, let alone the fact that MSG is also naturally found in fruits, veggies and mushrooms that are not "asian origin". mil turns to me and says what a shame it is we had to have Asian food and now sil will be sick for weeks Not only does racism not make you sick for weeks, SIL could have stayed home. She didn't. She just seeks the attention she gets as her family just bends over backwa
    via Joubachi

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family drama aita drama sushi birthday restaurant sister in law aunt family Reddit
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