Dad Under Fire For Letting Their Teen Daughter Take Younger Siblings Trick-Or-Treating Alone
Delegating trick-or-treating to a teen creates family tension.
A father of three (OP) returned home exhausted after a busy day. His wife, an ICU nurse, works long, unpredictable hours, so he was left to handle the kids’ preparations for trick-or-treating.
After feeding the younger children and getting them ready, OP felt a bit sick inside and decided it was best to lie his head down to rest.
Fortunately, his 16-year-old daughter was around, and she had no plans for the night. So, he asked her if she would mind taking her younger siblings out, and she happily agreed, even adding some quick skeleton makeup on the kids.
Confident the situation was under control, he sent a quick text to his wife explaining the new arrangement and lay down for a nap.
But shortly after, OP’s phone flooded with angry messages. His wife insisted that he had no reason to skip the night.
Her argument was that one parent should always be present, and it wasn’t their daughter’s job to handle the younger kids. OP responded, trying to explain that the kids were fine and that he was sick.
Despite the tension, trick-or-treating went off without a hitch. The kids had fun, and plenty of photos were taken. Yet, the argument didn’t end there.
When his wife returned home hours later by 2 am, her response to his greetings was cold. Later in the day, tensions flared again, leading to a continued debate over parental duties.
Scroll down to read the full exchange and see how one well-meaning choice on Halloween led to a major family clash.
Let’s dig into the details
Reddit.comOP’s eldest daughter agreed to take her younger ones for trick-or-treating since he was tired and needed to rest
Reddit.comHe informed his wife about the new arrangement via text before sleeping, only to wake up to angry replies about letting the kids go without a parent by their side
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When OP’s wife returned home, they got into a huge argument with her insisting he should have sucked it up and been there with the kids
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We gathered some interesting comments from the Reddit community
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“If you were sick enough to miss work the next day, there's no way you should have been out on Halloween.”
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“I think she is probably more upset that she couldn't be there, and you had the opportunity and did not take it.”
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“NTA your wife is upset you ‘skipped’ out on something that she probably wishes she could have done.”
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“I’m guessing your wife felt guilty about not being able to go herself and was taking it out on you.”
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“Would she prefer you passed out on a random sidewalk?”
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“I think your wife has some major guilt for missing these holidays that she’s projecting on you.”
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“NAH - your 16-year-daughter enjoyed herself, so did the younger kids, so no harm done.”
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“NTA. Your daughter was happy to do it. But, I have to question your wife's reaction.”
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While OP’s decision allowed him to rest, it also sparked tension with his wife, who felt tradition and parental presence were compromised.
The kids still had a fun, safe Halloween, but the emotional fallout between the parents continues.
The bright side is that Redditors have given OP a clearer idea as to why his wife is taking this so serious. And he has been advised to sit with her and talk it out like a couple.
We’re positive that both of them can meet in the middle and understand themselves better to avoid a repeat of this in the future.
We’d like to get your thoughts on this story. Whose side are you on?
