Respecting personal choices is important in maintaining healthy workplace relationships.

This woman has a coworker who constantly pushes her to date her son despite repeated refusals.

During a team lunch, she mentioned that she doesn’t see herself as a mother.

The same colleague commented that, in that case, she didn’t want her to be her daughter-in-law.

So, she also gave her a harsh but honest comeback.

Read the story below to find out more.

Told a colleague I would never want her as a mother-in-law.

I (30F) work with Anna (57F).

Anna would constantly talk about her high-achieving son who’s a doctor.

I don’t mind listening.

And I’m genuinely happy for her.

This woman never replied to her colleague’s son.

For a couple of times now, she’s been trying to get me to go on a date with her son.

She’s struggling to take no for an answer, and gave my number to her son without my permission.

I never replied to him.

He wasn’t pushy either.

During an office lunch, she said she didn’t see herself as a mother.

Last Friday, we were having lunch with other members of our team.

The topic on marriage and family was brought up.

Another colleague asked about my future plans about getting married and having kids (yup, toxic Asian nosiness).

I told her that I pray for a lifetime partner one day, but I don’t see myself as a mother.

She told her colleague she didn’t want her to be her mother-in-law.

Anna gasped and said, “Oh, I would never want you to be my daughter-in-law.

No mother would want to see her son marry a girl who hates kids.”

I replied, “I would also never want you as my mother-in-law. Isn’t it amazing how our dreams align?”

Some of my colleagues (close to my age) laughed.

She doesn’t think she was a jerk, but a friend told her she was rude.

But Anna’s good friend told me later on that I was rude.

And I should’ve just let her comment slide.

I don’t think I’m the jerk.

Okay, maybe I am, but so is Anna.

Let’s read the responses of other people to this story.

She was rude, says this one.

This person has a valid question.

This one makes sense, too.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

Indeed!

Sometimes, standing up for yourself is the only way to set clear limits.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.