A woman has come under fire online after slamming her son-in-law for skipping her birthday party... for attending their best friend’s funeral.
Many people take to Reddit’s ‘Am I the A**hole’ forum for a bit of a sense-check, which is exactly what one bloke did after a bit of a run-in with his mother-in-law – and then his wife.
The Reddit user explained how he’d been invited to a ‘huge birthday party’ in honour of his wife’s mother, which had been planned ‘weeks’ in advance.
However, he received the horrifying news that a close friend had passed away in a car accident, which also claimed the lives of the friend’s family members.
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The funeral clashed with the party, but it felt like a no-brainer – or so he thought.
“I have had a problem with my family for the past week and would like your guys' opinions,” the user told others on the online forum.
“Last weekend, my mother-in-law organized an huge birthday party for herself, something she had been excited for and planned for weeks.
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“At the same time, I received the bad news that one of my best friends had passed away in a car accident and it took away his life as well as his wife's and children.
“I decided to attend my friend's funeral over my mother-in-law's birthday party.
“The problem my mother-in-law has is that I had already accepted the invite for the birthday party, and each seat came with a hefty cost of $150.”
He said his wife ‘sided’ with her mother and was ‘mad’ at him, not just for skipping the party but also for ‘what she sees as wasting money’ after committing to attending.
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“She told me that I should always prioritize my family over some strangers,” the post continued.
“I would have attended both the funeral and the party but both events were 2-3 hours apart in driving distance."
The man added: “I am really confused, and your advice or insights would be greatly appreciated.
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"Am I the asshole for leaving my mother-in-law's birthday party for my friend’s funeral?”
The answer among Reddit users was a resounding no. One said: "Your mother in law should be aware that you can attend her next birthday but can't attend your friends 'next' funeral!!!"
But they added: "Why didn't you gave your MIL the damn $150 to shut her up?"
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Another said: "You can’t plan for a funeral. A funeral is an acceptable reason to cancel/change plans."
While a third said: "This was one of your best friends, not a stranger. Your wife and mother-in-law sound incredibly insensitive of your loss."
Jess Hardiman