January 19, 2026 at 11:15 am

Her Husband’s Coworker Insinuated She’s A Bad Wife For Working Too Much, So She Made A Comeback That Put The Coworker In Her Place

by Liberty Canlas

Woman sitting at a table texting

Pexels/Reddit

Some people can’t help but stick their noses into other people’s business.

This woman was dealing with a rude woman called Brenda, who works with her husband. Brenda was criticizing her for working too much and not doing much for her husband.

So she reminded Brenda that she is single in her 40s.

Was that too harsh? Read the full story below.

AITA for “making fun” of a woman for being in her 40s and single?

This whole saga started because my husband took my last name. A couple of weeks ago, he got his workplace to change it, and his coworkers found out. About half of them think this is the funniest thing ever, and about half are deeply offended.

Brenda is in the offended half and has made that clear.

He and I are in a group chat with his coworkers where we organize carpooling during the pandemic. It is very helpful to us, so we can’t leave the chat.

Since he changed his name, my husband and I have been dealing with a lot of dumb jokes in the chat, which we have been mostly ignoring.

Yesterday Brenda, his coworker, and I got into a bit of a spat. I messaged the group asking if someone could take my husband home since I wouldn’t be back from work until late and needed the car. One of his other coworkers agreed, and I thought that was that.

Brenda messages the group saying “maybe if you spent less time at work and more time being a wife, your husband wouldn’t come into work with dirty shirts” I took this as a bad joke initially.

My husband is a rural mail carrier, so his shirts look like shirts worn by someone in 90 degree heat on dusty roads. I do wash them, but there’s only so much to be done.

This woman and Brenda’s exchange went like this.

Me: I could make cleaning those shirts my full-time job and it wouldn’t do much. lol.

Brenda: you won’t be married very long if you keep trying to be the man in the relationship. I’d be embarrassed as a wife if I did so little for my husband

Me: Well, I work more hours and pay the bills, so I think he can oxyclean his own shirts if it’s so important

Brenda: Maybe you should learn to take proper care of your husband, or you’ll find yourself divorced.

Me: I’ll let you know when I need relationship advice from someone who is 42 and single.

Now, apparently, Brenda is going around and saying that I “mocked her for being single in her 40s”. I don’t care if someone is single in their 40s, but I think it’s absolute nonsense that she can call me a bad wife, yet I can’t point out that she has no frame of reference.

AITA reddit?

That will teach Brenda to mind her own business.

Other people in the comments are chiming in.

This one is calling out Brenda.

Screenshot 2025 11 24 at 11.42.46 AM Her Husbands Coworker Insinuated Shes A Bad Wife For Working Too Much, So She Made A Comeback That Put The Coworker In Her Place

This one justifies her response.

Screenshot 2025 11 24 at 11.44.19 AM Her Husbands Coworker Insinuated Shes A Bad Wife For Working Too Much, So She Made A Comeback That Put The Coworker In Her Place

Another user likes the comeback.

Screenshot 2025 11 24 at 11.45.41 AM Her Husbands Coworker Insinuated Shes A Bad Wife For Working Too Much, So She Made A Comeback That Put The Coworker In Her Place

Here’s a possibility.

Screenshot 2025 11 24 at 11.46.11 AM Her Husbands Coworker Insinuated Shes A Bad Wife For Working Too Much, So She Made A Comeback That Put The Coworker In Her Place

And another reader pipes up.

Screenshot 2025 11 24 at 11.46.36 AM Her Husbands Coworker Insinuated Shes A Bad Wife For Working Too Much, So She Made A Comeback That Put The Coworker In Her Place

Unsolicited marriage advice from singles carries no weight.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.