As you probably know, real gentlemen always follow the rules. If the rules do not suit the gentlemen, change the rules. Especially if this is an unwritten rule made in friendly company, which was established many years ago, and which no one has yet violated.
On the other hand, if the rule looks a little obsolete, and it concerns your own children, then who will condemn a person for being formally ready to change this very rule? In fact, this is a common moral dilemma that often confronts many of us.
For example, a man who wrote this post on the AITA Reddit community a few days ago and has since collected almost 19.5K upvotes and over 1.6K different comments. However, this story is actually not as negative as some - and comes with an almost happy ending. Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
More info: Reddit
Image credits: F. Delventhal (not the actual photo)
The Original Poster and his four best friends used to have annual fishing trips
So, for nearly ten years, the Original Poster and his four best friends have taken an annual fishing trip. From the very beginning, they set an unwritten rule for themselves: "no wives, no girlfriends," and no one has yet violated this rule.
Image credits: u/DaddynDaughterfish
One of the friends took his 5 Y.O. son with him and this was a really great experience
Two years ago, one of the friends, "Tim," offered to take his five-year-old son on the fishing trip - so that the tradition would spread to a new generation. At that time, out of the entire group, only "Tim" and the OP had children, so the friends gladly accepted this idea. The boy really liked the trip, and the next year he also went with pleasure.
Image credits: u/DaddynDaughterfish
The OP was delighted that their friendly group had a beautiful new tradition
A few months ago, a son was born to another friend in the group, "Randy," and "Tim" gave "Randy" a fishing pole for the newborn to be given for the boy's fifth birthday. It turned out very symbolic, and the OP was very pleased with the emerging tradition.
Image credits: u/DaddynDaughterfish
This year, the OP told his friends that he wants his 5 Y.O. daughter to go with them
This time, when a new trip was approaching, the OP told his friends that his daughter, who is now five years old, really wants to go with them, and dad promised the girl to take her fishing. To the OP's surprise, all his friends looked at him like he'd just said something weird, noting that this would also be a violation of their long-standing rule.
Image credits: u/DaddynDaughterfish
The OP's friends told him that this was a violation of their unwritten rule
Now the OP was surprised. He objected that his daughter is not someone's wife or girlfriend, and that the girl is now the same age that "Tim's" son had been on his first trip. The OP himself, in his own words, does not see any difference. If they don't take his daughter, the OP said, he would be against "Tim's" son going. Here "Tim" was already indignant - and it ended up in a quarrel.
Image credits: Ryan (not the actual photo)
People in the comments told the OP that their rule seems to look a bit discriminatory
We must admit that the commenters reacted very sensibly to this story, standing up for the girl and her dad. In fact, as one of the people in the comments pointed out, this "no wives, no girlfriends" rule seems quite discriminatory - with this the OP agreed, acknowledging that he would definitely forward the entire comment to his friends.
By the way, this story had a really good ending. The OP later added that his friends considered all his arguments and admitted that they were wrong. They apologized to both the OP and his daughter in absentia, and said they would only be happy if she went with them. All in all, it must be great fishing!
We, for our part, encourage you to express your point of view on this story - to tell us what you think about it. All in all, it must be a great discussion!