Young dad hilariously stands up for himself by giving judgemental fellow parent a dose of sarcasm

Kids love going to their friend's birthday parties. The excitement of playing games, receiving party favors and indulging in delicious treats creates a world of wonder for them. However, attending these gatherings can be a more complicated experience for parents. While we want our children to have a great time and form lasting friendships, socializing with other parents and navigating unfamiliar social dynamics can be daunting. That being said, it's an opportunity to overcome social awkwardness and witness their kid's joy.

A similar incident happened to a young father who was simply trying to navigate a kids' birthday party when another parent meddled in his affairs. Being no stranger to such unwelcome interactions, the young dad had the perfect response ready to go.

The young dad explained in a viral Reddit post that he's a 21-year-old single father to his 5-year-old child named Morgan and is sensitive about being judged for his situation. He begins the story by saying, "This past weekend, my daughter was invited to a birthday party; the parents were invited and, more or less, encouraged to stay." Since the father had nothing better to do, he decided to stay. He knew most of the parents at the party, with only a few unfamiliar faces.

Because he is a young, single dad, he's accustomed to getting judgemental looks and chooses to ignore them. He described his child's mother's role in parenting, writing: "Her mom is very inconsistent in her life when it's things like Christmas, birthday, she shows up and it's all sunshine and unicorns, but otherwise, she can't be bothered, too busy pursuing the 'normal 20s' she so craved."

During the party, a fellow parent decided to strike up a conversation with him. Unfortunately, it quickly took a personal turn with her interrogative questions. She asked him, "So, are you an older cousin pulling chauffeur duty or a step-brother or..." The young father did not hold back with his reaction and straightforwardly informed her that he is Morgan's dad, leading to a shocked response from the woman.

Since he didn't want to give the fellow parent more ammunition to question his ability to parent his daughter, he didn't delve into specific details about Morgan's mom's absence. Despite his trying to remain composed, the woman persisted, asking if he knew what he was doing as a parent. Calmly, he explained that he takes each day and situation as they come. However, the questioning escalated when she inquired about his backup plan if he were to "slip" as a parent.

"I told her my plan is to drive Morgan into the woods, tape $20 dollars to her wrist, give her a hearty handshake, wish her good luck and tell her to run free," he shared. This witty retort caught the mom off guard, leaving her surprised by his unexpected response. After this, she got angry and accused him of being immature. He walked over to his daughter, embraced her and told her that he loves her, deciding not to create a scene.

Users on the platform sided with the young father in his response to the intrusive line of questioning from the other parents. u/DismalPurchase commented, "NTA. My oldest was also 5 when I was 21. I had that exact conversation with a woman who had her first at 40. I responded with I think it's wonderful when grandparents are involved and how young she looked. Her reaction was glorious."