Teen's refusal to bake 100 cookies for family holiday party without hourly pay sparks debate

Kids helping at home can teach life skills and responsibility, but the line between helping and feeling overburdened can sometimes blur. A family recently encountered this when their 15-year-old daughter (u/QueenMoonshadow191) refused to bake cookies for free for a holiday party hosted by her parents. The situation escalated when she asked to be paid an hourly rate, leading to mixed reactions within the household. The teenager shared on Reddit that she had been baking elaborate sugar cookies for years, often catering to large theater casts and crews.

“The cookies started out relatively simple with very basic designs, but the casts I was in grew progressively larger, and over time my designs got more elaborate,” she wrote in a since-deleted Reddit post. Baking for theater turned into a major commitment, with her last batch in 2023 taking 12 hours to prepare cookies for 50 people. After that, she stopped baking for large groups but continued occasionally for family events. This December, her mom planned a Christmas party for over 100 guests and asked her to bake 100 cookies. “My mom has asked me to make 100 cookies and offered me an incentive of $75 upon seeing my less-than-enthusiastic reaction,” the teenager shared.

However, she felt the $75 didn’t fairly reflect the time and effort required, as the project would take four days. “I would log how many hours I worked over the 4 days, and we could negotiate what that rate would actually be after the party was over,” she said, adding that she initially suggested $20 per hour. Her mother disagreed, stating that baking for family shouldn’t be treated as a paid service. “She told me that I wasn’t being generous and that I shouldn’t be charging her money because she’s family,” the teen explained. Her mom felt the $75 was a fair incentive and believed her baking should be a contribution to the event.

The disagreement escalated when the teenager highlighted the time commitment. “These cookies will be a 4-day project (one day for dough, one day for baking, and two for decorating),” she wrote, explaining that even the simplest task, making the dough, took over an hour and a half. The tension spread to her siblings and father. “My dad agrees with her, and my sisters are mad that I’m asking for money while they’re making their desserts for free,” she shared. However, she clarified that her sisters’ contributions—three to four simpler desserts—didn’t require the same effort as her intricate cookie designs. “The decorating involves royal icing and a few sprinkles,” she added.

After receiving backlash, the teenager turned to Reddit to ask if she was wrong for wanting payment for the "12-hour commitment." Though the post was later deleted, it sparked a broader discussion about whether children should be compensated for tasks that exceed everyday chores. "Your mother has already offered to pay you $75 to bake the cookies, so it seems like she understands how much effort you put into making them. I’m a mother, and I’m certain she’s put in uncountable hours doing kind things for you. A local baker charges $10/dozen for their specialty cookies, which is about what you’re getting—and she pays for the ingredients. It sounds greedy to charge your mother more," commented u/General_Relative2838. "A gentle YTA. You are young but it is time to start appreciating what your parents do for you. Making these cookies is a nice thing that you can do to contribute. Getting $75 for it is really nice. I recently purchased 8 dozen large decorated cookies for my cast and paid $150. You are getting a good price. $20 per hour is not the going rate for a commercial baker. Hourly help gets less than that and is expected to work at a much faster rate than you are going. Get in the holiday spirit and make this your pleasant contribution to the party," suggested u/EmceeSuzy.

Meanwhile, u/annagrace2020 wrote: "All these YTA must love taking advantage of their children. You and your sisters all should be paid for your work. You guys are in school right now and need time for homework or in your case studying for your finals. People are underestimating how time consuming it is to bake 100 cookies and decorate them. Bakeries in my town charge $45 a dozen for specialty cookies. I paid around $200 for 60 personalized cookies at my wedding. It takes time. If your parents paid someone else, they would pay a lot more. You’re NTA at all." u/Syeina chimed in, "NTA- To those saying that her mom paid for the ingredients therefore she shouldn't pay for the cookies, you have clearly never had to do detailed decorating of cookies before. It takes forever. Demanding OP make 100+ when she has other normal high school commitments like exams is pretty unreasonable without compensation. (Actually, I think it's unreasonable either way but $$$ helps)."