Choosing Personal Over Family: A Teens Lunch Dilemma

AITA for choosing a lunch I liked over my family's preference for my celebration? Find out the verdict in this post about a teen's guilt over her lunch choice.

Damjan

Published in Interesting
7 Oct 2025

Choosing Personal Over Family: A Teens Lunch Dilemma

Are you wondering if you made the wrong choice when picking a celebratory lunch? One Reddit user shared their story of choosing fish and chips at the beach for their end-of-year prizegiving celebration, much to the surprise of their parents.

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While the dad was on board with the choice, the mom wasn't a fan of fish and chips and wasn't too keen on the beach setting either. Despite her reservations, she got sushi and coke instead.

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However, the mom's stress and lack of enthusiasm during the outing made the poster feel guilty, questioning if they were in the wrong for not considering their family's preferences. The Reddit community weighed in with various opinions.

Some sided with the poster, emphasizing that it was their celebration and they had the right to choose what they liked. Others empathized with the mom's perspective, noting that while she may not have been thrilled, she still made an effort to go along with the plan.

The discussion touched on themes of parental sacrifices, communication, and celebrating achievements without guilt. Overall, the thread showcases a common dilemma of balancing personal preferences with family dynamics during special occasions.

Whether you lean towards supporting the poster's choice or understanding the mom's feelings, the diverse responses shed light on navigating such situations with empathy and communication.

Original Post

So I (14F) had my end of year prizegiving today. I got a few awards and my parents said they were going to take me out to lunch to celebrate.

They said I could pick any place I wanted, and I asked to get fish and chips and take it down to the beach (which is a twenty minute drive away). They were a bit surprised, and my mum asked me if that was what I really wanted.

I said yes, because that's my favorite food and the fish and chip place just has some dingy wooden tables. My dad didn't care, because he loves fish and chips, but my mum doesn't.

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When we order it she usually gets something else, which I know. She may have also been tired after a three-hour prizegiving and she doesn't really like the beach.

I honestly wasn't thinking about any of that when I decided, just what I wanted to do. She ordered some sushi and coke instead which we picked up on the way.

We went back to our house to pick up our dog (he is a big beach fan) and my mum was stressed that we didn't have sunscreen or hats (we did, but we hadn't prepacked them because I had no idea this was going to happen). She said it was cold at the beach and didn't talk to me very much.

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I can tell this wasn't what she wanted, and I feel really guilty for spoiling what could've been a fun treat. AITA