When I offered to take the whole family out for dinner, I genuinely wanted to treat everyone to a fun, relaxing evening. I had planned everything carefully, including a special discount that would make the meal affordable for our big group. But what I hadn’t planned for was how determined my sister-in-law Nina would be to ignore all of it—and what I’d do in response.
That afternoon was full of laughter. The kids were drawing chalk masterpieces on the patio, proudly showing off their rainbow dragons and castles. Inside, Nina relaxed with her phone, treating our home like a weekend retreat—something that had become all too common lately. Though I loved having her kids around, Nina’s growing sense of entitlement was beginning to wear thin.
Around 5:15, she suddenly announced, “Time to go! Let’s head to the restaurant.” I reminded her that the early bird special didn’t begin until six, and waiting just 45 minutes would cut the total bill in half. But Nina waved that off. “I don’t want to wait. The kids are hungry,” she insisted—even though the kids seemed perfectly content moments earlier.
Soon, they came inside clutching their stomachs in dramatic fashion. It was clearly for show, and it stung a little when Nina added, “If you can’t afford dinner without a coupon, maybe you shouldn’t have offered.”
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