You can’t have your cake and eat it too. And apparently, if you’re the last visitor into a bakery before closing time, you can’t expect there to be any cake left at all!

Below, you’ll find a story that was recently shared on the “Am I the [Jerk]?” subreddit, detailing how one man had to deal with a child’s temper tantrum in a bakery just to bring home some cake to his pregnant wife.

When pregnancy cravings strike, moms-to-be can feel like they desperately need a specific item

Image credits: furkanfdemir (not the actual photo)

But when this man stopped to pick up some cake for his wife, he had no idea how dramatic his visit to the bakery would become

Image credits: Ryutaro Tsukata (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Matilda Wormwood (not the actual photo)

Image credits: Unhappy-Tutor-4131

Later, the man responded to some readers and provided additional context

The vast majority of pregnant women experience intense cravings

Image credits: Ivan Samkov (not the actual photo)

Everyone enjoys a fresh slice of cake from a bakery, whether they’re craving it or not. But when you’re pregnant and the desire to eat a certain food strikes, it can be almost impossible to ignore those cravings. For my mother, it was Taco Bell tostadas, apparently she couldn’t get enough. But while every mom’s preferences are different, the vast majority will experience the notorious pregnancy cravings.

According to UPMC, a whopping 90% of women who are with child will experience intense food cravings. These are most likely to occur during the first and second trimesters and are seen as relatively harmless, as long as mothers don’t over eat or indulge excessively in unhealthy foods.   

The Bump reports that no one can say exactly why these cravings occur, but they’re likely due to hormonal changes and perhaps nutritional deficits. As far as what pregnant women crave the most, sweets and starchy carbohydrates like bread and pasta seem to be the most common culprits. But many women also crave spicy food, salty foods like chips, fruit and fruit juice, milk and other dairy products, pickles, fast food, pizza and ice.   

Just because a child throws a tantrum doesn’t mean they should get whatever they want

Image credits: Yan Krukau (not the actual photo)

While moms don’t technically have to give into their cravings and children tend to love cake just as much as pregnant women, that doesn’t mean kids should be given whatever they want just because they demand it. It can sometimes feel easier to give in to a screaming child’s demands than to deal with them, but according to the NHS in the UK, this can backfire. 

They recommend getting to the bottom of your child’s anger, finding a distraction, and waiting for the tantrum to stop, but never changing your mind just because your child got upset. This can teach them that they’ll get rewarded for throwing a fit and might make these outbursts more common. 

Child psychologist Michele Borba also says parents should be careful not to raise spoiled children who always get whatever they want. Borba told CNBC some signs of a spoiled kid are one who can’t take “no” for an answer, who’s more into receiving than giving, who demands things immediately, who only thinks about themself and who is never satisfied with what they have.

To avoid growing up entitled and spoiled, it’s important for kids to hear the word “no”

Image credits: August de Richelieu (not the actual photo)

To avoid teaching little ones to be entitled brats, Borba recommends parents say “no” without feeling any guilt. Simply explain why the answer is no, for example, “This man was here first, so the cake is his.” And move on. It can also be helpful to praise your children when they are doing the right thing, such as complimenting them for being generous towards a friend.

Parents can encourage their children to be more appreciative of what they have by taking time to show gratitude and by teaching them delayed gratification. Kids don’t naturally know how to be patient. But if they learn how to wait for their parents to finish speaking before sharing their own thoughts or how to save up their allowance for months before making a purchase, they will learn patience. 

Borba says moms and dads should also point out to their children when they’re being insensitive to help them correct that behavior. Help them consider other perspectives by asking how they think their friends feel when they act selfishly. 

We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this man was wrong for purchasing the cake? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article discussing an entitled parent, look no further than right here.      

Many readers assured the man that the cake was rightfully his

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