Entitled mom pressures a coworker to give up 1 week of PTO because her vacation time is more important than their anniversary: 'She said parents should get priority'

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Feb 19, 2026 1:00 PM EST

Their flights are booked and accommodation confirmed, but despite claiming a week of PTO on the small business's calendar, this couple's anniversary week got put into question, all because an entitled mom forgot to check her kids' school holiday calendar. 

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  • Women working together in an office.
    via Yan Krukau

    Women working together in an office.

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • AITAH for refusing to give up my approved time off to a coworker because she says her situation matters more than mine
    via Unusual-Dependent709
  • I work at a small company where time off requests go through a shared calendar and its basically first come first served. Back in the beginning of the year I put in for a week off in the fall. My wife
    via Unusual-Dependent709
  • and I have been planning a trip for our anniversary. Flights are booked the rental is paid for and we coordinated with another couple whos coming with us. Everything has been locked in for months.
    via Unusual-Dependent709
  • Last week a coworker came up to me and asked if I could move my week. She said she just realized her kids have a school break that same week and she needs to be home with them
    via Unusual-Dependent709
  • because she doesnt have childcare lined up. She said she forgot to check the school calendar when she was doing her requests at the beginning of the year.
    via Unusual-Dependent709

  • Working parents have a lot to juggle, but it's not the first time in history that parents have been expected to take care of their work responsibilities, personal lives, and kids' schedules. In fact, I'd argue that there's never been a time when parents have more tools at their disposal to track and manage everyone's schedules. Phones, you know, those little computers we carry around in our pockets, have nifty little apps and tricks that parents can employ to help keep track of everything coming up. 

    If only the mom in this next story were capable of keeping a calendar, particularly when it came to her kids' school schedules, because when she realized too late that she'd forgotten to request PTO during a week that her kid was out of school, she panicked. Instead of accepting her mistake gracefully and booking alternative childcare for her kids, she tried to strong-arm her coworker into giving up their anniversary vacation.

    Because a couple who doesn't have kids apparently doesn't deserve dibs either. 

  • I told her I cant. I said I already have nonrefundable flights and the whole trip is planned around that specific week. I wasnt rude about it I just said sorry I wish I could help but this has been set for months.
    via Unusual-Dependent709
  • Two female coworkers are arguing over PTO.
    via Yan Krukau

    Two female coworkers are arguing over PTO. 

    (Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.)

  • The anniversary had been booked for months; there was no way they could get their money back, and they followed company protocol to request their time off. Why should this couple, who were looking forward to their vacation, cancel everything just because their coworker dropped the ball?

    Although working parents have a lot on their plates, they don't have to go without ways to stay informed about their kids' schedules and upcoming responsibilities. A parent's first priority should be balancing their parenting and their work life, and when they fumble or make a mistake, it's not their coworker's responsibility to pick up the slack and make a sacrifice on their behalf. 

  • She got visibly upset and said it must be nice to not have to worry about kids and that people without children dont understand how impossible it is to juggle everything. She said parents should get priority for school breaks because its not like I NEED that specific week I just want it.
    via Unusual-Dependent709
  • That part stung honestly. Like my anniversary trip with my wife is somehow less valid because we dont have kids. Our plans dont matter because theyre not about children.
    via Unusual-Dependent709

  • Rightfully so, the coworker felt guilty from the pressure from their colleague, but it's not their fault that this mom wasn't prepared. Perhaps if the mom had acted less entitled, they might have considered shifting their schedule around, but because the mom tried to force their hand, they dug their heels in. 

  • I feel bad for her situation I really do. But I also feel like if I give this up it sets a precedent that my time is less important because of my life choices. And thats not something Im willing to accept.
    via Unusual-Dependent709

  • Schools release the annual schedule with more than enough time for this mom to have prepared and booked her PTO ahead of time, and if she had had half as much foresight as the couple who were looking forward to their anniversary, this would never have happened. Alas, a lesson learned in the workplace is one that never needs to be taught again, and for the mom who was about to have to book a babysitter for the week, this was one lesson that was getting deeply ingrained in her pockets.

  • Hour-Room-3337 If only the children's school put out a Calendar specifying in advance when school breaks will occur...
    via Hour-Room-3337
  • BananaNo1083 Her poor planning is not your emergency and the idea that childless peoples plans are automatically less important is so tired
    via BananaNo1083
  • 21stCentury Janes She has plenty of time to find child care before Fall
    via 21stCenturyJanes
  • Odd_Tea4945 NTAH, your coworker is being quite selfish. You have all these plans already paid and she "forgot to check the school calendar when she was doing her requests at the beginning of the year". So now you have to reschedule for HER mistake Sorry, but she has to find childcare because you don't have to suffer for her mistakes. Sorry, she'll have to juggle, because parents are humans in working environments
    via Odd_Tea4945
  • Annual_Government_80 Its coming up months away, she has more than enough time to find childcare. Its not your fault she didn't pay attention to her children's schedule
    via Annual_Government_80
  • Outside-Leek-5045 The fall is over 6 months away. She will figure it out.
    via Outside-Leek-5045
  • jackman924 Take your trip, have a great time and let her figure out daycare. She's entitled. Happy Anniversary!
    via jackman924
  • AllyKalamity Why can't the father of her kids step up??
    via AllyKalamity
  • "Girl, Miss_Bobbiedoll h." That's what you should have told her.
    via Miss_Bobbiedoll
  • OldManKibbitzer NTAH I always think poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    via OldManKibbitzer

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entitled parents employee work coworkers PTO vacation
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