'Selfish' woman who didn't take niece to watch Barbie sparks family rift

An aunt who didn't take her young niece to see the highly anticipated Barbie movie has ignited a rift within her family who have been divided over her 'selfish' decision.

Greta Gerwig's critically lauded and box-office-smashing movie was released worldwide on Friday with seemingly everyone heading out to see the Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starring comedy about the iconic toy.

However, it's not all been harmonious laughs and giggles for everyone - just ask Reddit user u/Salty-Village299 whose decision to take just one of her daughters to see the film has caused all sorts of stress and trouble for her.

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On the infamous 'Am I the A**hole' subreddit, the 19-year-old aunt explained that she has two nieces, Kayla (11) and Violet (5), who belong to her two siblings respectively.

The Barbie movie was released on Kayla's 11th birthday so she was taken to the cinema to see it as a treat by her aunt, which she claims was arranged by her brother days in advance.

However, Violet's mother found out about this plan and demanded that the aunt also take her daughter because she "loves Barbie." The aunt said this was fine but wanted the mother to come along too.

She continues: "I said that she and Violet are welcome to tag along and she said no, she's not coming, only Violet. I gently said no because respectfully I want to relax on my day off work and enjoy the movie and I don't feel like watching Violet. Not only is she younger and less independent but she's autistic and can be quite a handful (I didn't say this to Emma but she knows).

"I could see Emma was getting annoyed and she said I'd only be watching Violet during the movie and its only such a small ask. I told her no and that's that. She said I'm excluding Violet for no reason and that I'm playing favorites, and I don't have to deal with Violet being sad that she can't go see the movie with us, but said I obviously don't care because I'm so selfish."

The accusations "upset" the aunt who was also accused of not wanting to babysit Violet despite always being happy to do activities with Kayla.

The rest of her family have since gotten involved with her brother telling his other sister that she should take "her own daughter to the movies with us and pay for their own tickets."

She adds: "This all snowballed into a massive family rift as my parents got involved too and said that Emma has every right to be upset and I should just bring Violet and that it would make Violet really happy.

"I ended up only taking Kayla and she had a blast but this situation has gotten me feeling so crap and I just need to know if I really was right or wrong."

Safe to say that most people on Reddit were on the aunt's side and felt that she didn't act inappropriately towards her younger niece or her sister.

One person wrote: "NTA (not the a**hole). Mostly because it’s rude to assume someone will take a kid for what is essentially free babysitting, but also because Barbie is not a kids movie. It’s rated PG-13, and the overall theme will go way over a 5 year olds head."

Another said: " Firstly - that movie is NOT suited for a 5yo. It's not the same Barbie lol. Secondly, if you don't feel like babysitting and are fine with chilling with an 11yo who can handle her own in a theater, that's perfectly valid."

A third said: "NTA, this was a treat for Kayla for her birthday. It was tacky of Emma to encroach on that bonding time for you and Kayla. Sounds like Emma wants a break from Violet and was trying to guilt you into giving her one."

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