'AITA for bailing on Thanksgiving because I’m sick of hearing what a failure I am?'
"AITA for bailing on Thanksgiving because I’m sick of hearing what a failure I am?"
I, 28m, come from a family where everyone joins the marines. Most of the men in my family join straight out of high school and make it their career and entire personalities.
I joined straight out of high school, did my time, and did not re-enlist. Instead, I went to school and got an excellent job in a hospital supporting my wife and me. I’m happy with my life, but whenever I see my family, they always talk about how I gave up on the military for an easy life and how my cousins made it through and are still in.
Since it’s November, every Thanksgiving has to have a Marine birthday cake, leading to comments about me not acknowledging that it’s a nautical birthday on Facebook. Just dumb stuff that doesn’t even matter.
I have told them repeatedly that it is fine for my cousins, but they are also deployed a lot and never see their families, and I like coming home to my wife every day. One of my cousins is 21, married to the first girl who spoke to him, and now has a one-year-old. This is who they compare me to because I’m 28 with no kids. That's fine if that’s what he wants, but not for me.
I told my mom this year that my wife and I would stay home and do our own Thanksgiving. She’s upset and calling me immature, saying they are kidding and I’m too sensitive, but I’m sick of getting put down every holiday and family get-together for choosing a different life path than them.
Here's what people had to say to OP:
TheRealPizzaKing says:
NTA. If you do end up going, bring the Crayola tub of crayons and set it out with the deserts ??
Careful_Fennel_4417 says:
Listen, NTA. Military life isn’t for everyone. It’s hard. And it’s hard on families. Tell mom you aren’t the immature one. The rest of them are for being such giant AHs. Enjoy Thanksgiving with your lovely wife.
TheLovelyMadamToh says:
NTA. It's not 'kidding' it's bullying. They're bullying you for choosing civilian life over the military. For the record, working in a hospital is NOT an easy job.
I saw on tiktok where someone made a bingo card of "crappy things my family will probably say at thanksgiving" and honestly I love that idea. "Oh, someone made a racist comments? Cool, fills in another box" "question about why I don't have kids/when I'm having them? BINGO!" bonus points if you fill it out in front of the family