AITA for refusing to call for pizza and telling my daughter if she wants pizza she can call the place?
Picture a quiet evening at home, where a 15-year-old girl scrolls through her phone, craving a hot pizza but frozen by the thought of making a call. Her dad, out for the night, gets her text pleading for him to order, but he replies with a firm “call it yourself” or eat what’s at home. For this Reddit user, it’s a lesson in independence, but his wife and daughter see it as cold.
When he returns to a storm of anger, the clash over a simple pizza order reveals deeper tensions about anxiety and parenting. This story pulls readers into a debate: is tough love the push a teen needs, or does empathy trump independence?
‘AITA for refusing to call for pizza and telling my daughter if she wants pizza she can call the place?’
A pizza order might seem trivial, but for this Reddit user’s daughter, it’s a mountain of anxiety. The father’s refusal to call, aiming to foster independence, clashed with his wife’s and daughter’s need for support. It’s a classic parenting dilemma: when to push and when to comfort. The daughter’s anxiety, though not severe enough for medication, clearly shapes her ability to navigate simple tasks.
Dr. John Duffy, a teen anxiety expert, says, “Gradual exposure to feared tasks, with support, builds confidence in anxious teens”. About 30% of teens experience social anxiety, often around phone interactions. The father’s intent to prepare his daughter for adulthood is valid, but his approach—offering no guidance—may have felt like abandonment.
This reflects broader challenges in parenting anxious kids. A gentler push, like practicing the call together, could bridge the gap. The family might set small, achievable goals to boost her confidence.
Heres what people had to say to OP:
Reddit served up a spicy mix of support for the dad’s tough love and tips for helping his daughter, with a pinch of humor for flavor. Here’s what they dished out:
Reddit’s tossing out advice like pizza dough, but are they cooking up solutions or just adding heat?
This dad’s refusal to order pizza for his anxious daughter has baked a family feud, raising questions about tough love versus empathy. Was he right to push her to face her fears, or did he leave her hungry for support? How would you handle a teen’s anxiety in a low-stakes moment like this? Share your thoughts or experiences—what’s the recipe for balancing independence and care?
