AITA for dressing my kids inappropriately for the weather?
A Reddit user shares a recent conflict with his wife over how he dressed their kids for the weather. With temperatures forecasted to stay around 55°F (12.8°C) and overcast, he let his kids wear shorts or a skirt with a light jacket.
When his wife woke up and saw how the kids were dressed, she refused to drive them to school, feeling it made her look like a “bad parent.” She also called him “irresponsible” and “incompetent,” leaving him to wonder if he misjudged the situation. Read the full story below.
‘ AITA for dressing my kids inappropriately for the weather?’
The forecast today is 55°F (12.8°C) all day and overcast. I told my kids they could wear shorts/skirt and a light jacket (how I was also dressed). My wife slept in and when she came down 20 min before driving them to school, she refused take them because they aren’t dressed warmly enough and she didn’t want to look like a bad parent. Then she called me irresponsible, incompetent, and that I should be grateful that I’m not homeless. AITA?
Here’s the comments of Reddit users:
atealein − You have 8 year old kids and you are unaware what they should be wearing in such weather? Have you actually ever cared for them independently without the help of their mother?
lihzee − YTA. No one cares what you, a grown-ass man, are comfortable in at that temperature. Your 8 year old children have different constitutions than you, shockingly enough.
arterialrainbow − I feel like this isn’t really something the internet can accurately judge. It so heavily depends on things like average/year round temps or strength of the sun where you live and if the schools have the AC or the heat cranked. People are likely to judge this based on the temperatures they’re personally used to.
I will say the fact that your wife seems more concerned with what other people think about her parenting rather than what’s actually best and most comfortable for your children isn’t the best either.
TheVaneja − info: approximately where are you, temperately? In much of Canada 12C is nothing, totally t-shirt & shorts weather. In Texas it’s probably something different.
Eastern_Voice_4738 − NTA the kids wanted to wear it so they can try it out, if it’s cold then they’ll know next time. Your wife seems a little unhinged though. Very uncalled for
Ok-Bullfrog5830 − NTA. How are people here thinking 13C isn’t shorts weather? Maybe it’s because I lived where it’s -30C on the regular in the winter but it’s completely normal to wear shorts. Worst comes to worst they say they’re cold and you leave?
JoslynEmilia − Where I live, it can easily start out at 50F in the morning and be 70F or higher by lunch. Also, 55F can also be short sleeves, shorts, and light jacket weather depending on where you live. If you were dressed the same and comfortable then I say NTA. My kids often went to school in short sleeves, shorts, and a light jacket when we knew the temperature would get hotter throughout the day.
applebum8807 − 55 degrees and you think SHORTS are appropriate? YTA
RoxasofsorrowXIII − NAH. First; 55 is absolutely warm enough for shorts, people saying otherwise likely live in year round warmer areas. In the great white north where I am, you see shorts and flip flops at 40, because we are used to negative Temps.
This is not something reddit is equipped for honestly, there’s too much nuance. Is it windy? Rainy? Average Temps? How overcast? The kids individual constitutions is the biggest.
Everyone in this just really needs to communicate better. Even if you were dead wrong, screaming about being “lucky not to be homeless” is a bit much for putting shorts on the kids….. Edit for clarity
Kami_Sang − NTA – seems like wife’s real concern is how she looks to others.
Do you think the user’s choice of clothing for the kids was fine for the weather, or was his wife’s reaction justified? How would you have handled this situation? Share your perspective below!
