The ambient cries of a baby often accompany the dining experience in certain settings, such as restaurants, without causing undue concern for most patrons.
In a recent Reddit post shared on the widely-followed “Am I The A**hole?” subreddit, a woman recounted an incident during a meal with two close friends, Ann, who is presently pregnant, and Kim, who is striving to conceive.
Despite her personal inclination against having children, the Reddit user typically engages with her friends’ pregnancy-related conversations, cultivating a level of tolerance for the subject matter.
As per the account, during the dinner, Ann and Kim exclusively discussed pregnancies and childbirth, despite the poster’s attempts to redirect the conversation. It was at this juncture that a baby’s cries pierced through the restaurant ambiance.
Describing the crying as a normal occurrence, the poster explained, “It didn’t seem hurt in any way, it seemed to be a normal cry for a baby.” She acknowledged the cries initially but soon became absorbed in her dessert, tuning out the noise as mere background disturbance.
While the woman remained engrossed in her dessert, her friends exhibited visible discomfort at the sound of the crying baby, expressing their sadness. When questioned about her apparent indifference, she clarified that she had drowned out the noise intentionally, which further upset her friends.
Their reactions escalated, with Kim suggesting that the woman’s purported lack of empathy rendered her unsuitable for motherhood, while Ann expressed pity for her supposed inability to comprehend their emotions.
Initially perceiving their remarks as jest, the woman laughed, aggravating her friends’ distress, who deemed the situation unworthy of amusement.
Despite initially brushing off her friends’ comments, the woman sought validation by sharing her experience on Reddit, where she received widespread support, with many users criticizing Ann and Kim’s behavior as “bad friends.”
Subsequently, Kim admonished the woman via text, urging her to exhibit more compassion towards crying children if she intends to interact with her future offspring. This prompted the woman to question whether she should regret ignoring the crying baby.
In response to her post, numerous commenters echoed the sentiment that there was nothing inherently wrong with the woman’s actions.
“One commenter defended her, stating, “The baby’s mom was there, so what were they upset about? It’s not like there was an abandoned baby screaming alone on the floor; it was a fussy baby with a parent and didn’t seem in distress.”
Another commenter, also a parent, expressed solidarity, remarking, “I’m a mother, and hearing a baby cry doesn’t put me into a fit or make my ‘heart ache.’ Babies cry, and they are judging you for no reason.”
Many others echoed similar sentiments, questioning the expectations placed on the woman in response to the crying baby. “What were you supposed to do about someone else’s kid crying? A stranger’s baby’s needs should not cause you heartache; that’s absurd,” one commenter succinctly noted.
