23-year-old refuses to let mom and 5-year-old daughter cut her in line for ice cream after she'd already waited 20 minutes: 'The mom this big passive-aggressive sigh and said, "Some people just don’t have empathy."'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jun 10, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

There's something very noble about helping out a parent in public. I am more than willing to stand on the subway so that a mom can sit next to her young kid. It's one of those things that doesn't cost me anything, seeing that I have two working legs that can easily stand up over the time it takes to get from Graham Street to Union Square. However, I understand why many parents don't ask people to stand up so they can sit down with their kids. Childless people are often very hostile towards the idea that parents receive special privileges in society, and many parents are sensitive to that. Not to mention the fact that some people have invisible problems like knee pain that make them more entitled to a seat than someone who happens to have a child. It also feels much better to offer your seat to someone who hasn't asked for it. When it's demanded, you're less willing to give it up. 

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  • The mom in this story didn't demand a place in line, but she heavily implied that it was bad manners not to give it to her and her 5-year-old daughter.

  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10515994368
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    AITA for not letting a mom and her daughter cut the line at the ice cream shop?

    So this is happened yesterday and I'm still kinda feeling weird about it.
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 03
    I(23F) was in line at this super popular ice cream shop, like the kind that always has a long line and cute instagram worthy cones. It was a hot day, weekend afternoon, and I'd already been waiting like 20 mins. I was maybe 5th from the front, finally almost there.
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 04
    Cheezburger Image 10515996160
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 05
    Then this mom with a little girl (maybe 5-ish) walks up next to me and goes, "Would you mind if we just jumped ahead real quick? She's really hot and just wants some ice cream." The little girl was adorable, sure, but also... we're all hot and we all want ice cream???
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 06
    I kinda awkwardly smiled and said, "sorry, I've been waiting too," and turned back around. The mom didn't say anything but did this big passive-aggressive sigh and said to her daughter loud enough for me to hear, "some people just don't have empathy."
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10515997184
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 08
    Like... what?? I wasn't ride, I just didn't want to let someone skip after I'd already stood there melting for 20 minutes. And yes, I get that kids can be impatient and uncomfortable, but does that mean they just get to bypass everyone?
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 09
    Some people around me have me this weird look like I was the villain, and now I'm wondering... AITA for not letting them cut the line even though it was just a mom and her little girl?
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 10
    PushkinMage NTA. A part of parenthood is to make sure the kids are ready for the real world, that includes standing in lines and waiting your turn.
    via u/PushkinMage
  • 11
    VelvetHexv OP yess omg, like I get it that she's a kid, but waiting in line is such a basic life skill villain for, teaching patience lol not me being the
    via u/VelvetHexv
  • 12
    PopcornandComments The last thing that mom should be teaching her child is that cutting a line is OK. That's how you get self centered adults.
    via u/PopcornandComments
  • 13
    Novel_Fox Nobody was looking at you like you needed to move, they were likely worried about being targeted next and felt awkward. I don't think anyone was thinking to themselves you should let them in because presumably they would have offered themselves if they truly felt so incensed over it. They didn't. Noone cares, they just don't want to be asked either. You're fine. NTA
    via u/Novel_Fox
  • 14
    weemee Prepare your child for the path, not the path for the child.
    via u/weemee
  • 15
    pgh9fan It wasn't the daughter who wanted to skip the line. Her mom just used her daughter as an excuse to not wait in line herself.
    via u/pgh9fan
  • 16
    WanderLoaf17 Exactly this. Teaching kids that they don't get special treatment just because they're uncomfortable is actually doing them a favor in the long run. Everyone in that line was hot and wanted ice cream - being 5 doesn't make you exempt from basic social rules like waiting your turn. The mom's passive-aggressive comment about "empathy" was really manipulative too, trying to guilt you for having normal boundaries.
    via u/WanderLoaf17
  • 17
    Dry-Attitude-6790 I work at a school and give out lunch orders every Friday. Last week I had a kid cut in front of the first person in the line. They asked them 'can I go ahead?' And the kid said yes.
    via u/Dry-Attitude-6790
  • 18
    I stopped the child and told them that they only asked one person in the line if they could cut and that person did not speak for the whole line. The child hadn't asked everyone if it was ok to cut but assumed because the first person said yes it was ok.
    via u/Dry-Attitude-6790
  • 19
    It's not ok to ask one person to cut in front - you don't get to make that decision for everyone behind you in the line. NTA.
    via u/Dry-Attitude-6790
  • 20
    broken_softly Teacher. I watched a second grader shove himself into the front of a line. As soon as I approached with a "hey!", he screeched, "we're all going to the same place so it shouldn't matter."
    via u/broken_softly
  • 21
    I agreed with him. "That's right. So you should be fine at the end of the line. Go on." He rolled his eyes at me and I had to insist a few times before he finally moved.
    via u/broken_softly
  • 22
    Earthquakemama Sounds like the entitled kid learned what to say from parents wanting to switch seats during airplane boarding!
    via u/Earthquakemama
  • 23
    yourlittlebirdie NTA if it had been for the bathroom then sure, I'll always let a little kid or pregnant lady cut. But ice cream?? The nerve of some people.
    via u/yourlittlebirdie
  • 24
    lostalldoubt86 NTA- I have a feeling that mom uses her daughter as an excuse to cut in line often. The people around you giving the stink eye would probably have ALSO not given up their spot in line.
    via u/lostalldoubt86
  • 25
    VelvetHexv OP Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking too. It felt like a little rehearsed and honestly, I feel like if she'd asked the people giving me side-eyes, they probably wouldn't have given up their spot either!
    via u/VelvetHexv

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entitled parents mother entitled parent bad parenting reddit story ice cream bad parents parenting little kids ice cream cone daughter Reddit mom Parenting Fail entitled people
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