Are Uncomfortable Questions Dragging You Down?

Don’t Shudder in Fear When an Aunty Is Near. Shihaam Hassanali Gives You the Tools You Need to Be Firm, Yet Friendly.

- Shihaam Hassanali

Picture this: You’re on your way to yet another family gathering, where aunties, uncles and cousins unite to gossip, laugh and be all up in your business. You’re an independent millennial, partially married to your job and, although dating is fun, you’re perfectly alright without a man by your side. But you know that as soon as you step into that room full of relatives, questions are going to fly: “Darling, we never see you. You shouldn’t work so much. When will you have time to find a husband?” and “time you settled down, no? Have you put on weight?”

We’ve all fallen victim to interfering family members sticking their noses into our private lives and shamelessly embarrassing us. As a result, visiting the homes of relatives or attending reunions become unnecessarily draining. And even though we can’t really tell them to stuff it when the questions become too personal, all is not lost. Here are a few ways you can navigate these treacherous waters without offending anyone too much.

CHANGE THE SUBJECT

Making a joke or giving an abrupt reply to a nosy query might lead to the person asking the question not getting the hint or not caring. If this is the case, give a short answer and move on to a different topic, but make sure the transition is smooth. “No, aunty, I’m not in the market for a new man, but I did just get into the MBA programme at the University of Colombo! Didn’t you study there?”