AITA for Leaving a Family Dinner After My Brother’s Wife Kept Making Fun of My Job?

Family dinners are supposed to be a time for bonding, catching up, and enjoying each other’s company. But at our latest gathering, things took a turn that made me question my place at the table. led me to leaving the family dinner early.

A Little Background

I work as a freelance graphic designer. It’s something I love doing, and I’ve worked hard to build a steady stream of clients. My income fluctuates, but I make enough to live comfortably. My brother’s wife, Emma, however, has never taken my career seriously. She works in corporate finance and has a very traditional view of what a “real” job should be.

At family gatherings, she often makes passive-aggressive comments about my work, like, “Must be nice to sit around drawing all day” or “I wish I could just work in pajamas instead of a real office.” I usually brush it off, but this time, she took it too far.

The Dinner That Went Wrong

We were all gathered at my parents’ house, enjoying dinner, when Emma started in on me again. She asked if I had “finally gotten a real job yet” and laughed. I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore her, but she kept going.

“So, how do you even make money? Do people actually pay you for doodles?” she said, smirking.

I tried to stay calm, responding, “Yes, I do pretty well for myself. I work with clients all over the world.”

But she wouldn’t stop. She started joking with my brother about how they should set me up with a “real” job since, in her words, “you can’t freelance forever.” My parents sat there, uncomfortably laughing, but no one told her to stop.

Reaching My Breaking Point

After a few more jabs, I had enough. I put my fork down, took a deep breath, and said, “Emma, I’m done with this conversation. You don’t have to respect my job, but you do have to respect me.”

She rolled her eyes and said, “Oh, come on, it’s just a joke. Don’t be so sensitive.”

That’s when I decided I wasn’t going to sit there and take it anymore. I stood up, grabbed my things, and told my parents, “Thanks for dinner, but I think I’m going to head out.”

My mom called after me, asking me to stay, but I just couldn’t sit through another round of Emma’s mockery. I left without another word.

The Aftermath

Later that night, my brother texted me, saying I embarrassed Emma and made things “awkward.” He said she was just joking and that I was being too dramatic. My parents also reached out, saying I should’ve just ignored her comments and “kept the peace.”

But why should I have to ignore it? Why is it my responsibility to “keep the peace” when someone is openly disrespecting me?

The Community’s Verdict

Some people agreed with me:

“You set a boundary and left when it wasn’t respected. You did nothing wrong.”

“If your brother and parents won’t stand up for you, then they don’t get to be mad when you stand up for yourself.”

“Mocking someone’s career isn’t a joke—it’s just rude.”

Others thought I overreacted:

“Emma was just joking. You could’ve laughed it off instead of making a scene.”

“Family dinners are about togetherness. Walking out was unnecessary.”

“Maybe she doesn’t understand your career—educate her instead of storming out.”

Final Thoughts: Did I Overreact?

I don’t think I was wrong for leaving, but now I wonder if I could have handled it differently. Should I have stayed and confronted Emma more directly? Or was walking away the best option?

What do you think? Was I being too sensitive, or was I right to leave? Let me know in the comments!

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