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Woman Endures Endless Nose-Ring Insults From Grandma, Finally Drops A Comeback That Leaves Her Quiet
Elderly woman with curly white hair listening intently during a conversation about a nose ring and playful nickname.

Woman Endures Endless Nose-Ring Insults From Grandma, Finally Drops A Comeback That Leaves Her Quiet

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I was nineteen when I got my first piercing – a small silver earring – and my grandma poured all her wrath and wit on me for doing so. To be honest, I turned out to be a weakling and gave up in just a few months – but the narrator of our story today is actually much stronger than I was back then.

Well, the author, the user u/blah_fkin_blah, also had one, quite innocent-looking nose ring in her nostril – and it immediately became the target of her grandma’s critical arrows. However, the author managed to put the old lady in her place one day – and did it quite wittily!

More info: Reddit

RELATED:

    Sometimes it’s quite difficult for the young adults to communicate with their grandparents as they believe they’re entitled to give various unsolicited advice

    Elderly woman with white hair sitting thoughtful, representing a lady telling grandkid about a bull and nose ring.

    Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The author of the post got her nose ring in a nostril one day – and it became the grandma’s target for endless criticism

    Text post about a lady telling her grandkid she looks like a bull with her nose ring and being called Ronald McDonald.

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    Text excerpt describing a lady's grandma comparing her nose ring to a bull's hoop and the lady's polite response.

    Image credits: blah_fkin_blah

    Young woman with a nose ring smiling outdoors, representing the lady who tells her grandkid she looks like a bull with her nose ring.

    Image credits: Edu Bastidas / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

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    The lady used to say that the granddaughter “looked like a bull” with this ring – and this was obviously offensive to the author

    Text snippet about standing up for oneself, illustrating a lady telling grandkid she looks like a bull with her nose ring.

    Text image with a quote about not asking grandmother to stop making rude comments about appearance.

    Text excerpt about a family get-together where a lady is called Ronald McDonald due to her red hair and nose ring.

    Image credits: blah_fkin_blah

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    Ronald McDonald statue with red hair, striped sleeves, and yellow vest sitting on a bench outside a McDonald's restaurant

    Image credits: Vishal Tiwari / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

    One day she warned the grandma that the next insult would have a backlash – but the lady neglected the warning

    Text post discussing a lady telling her grandkid she looks like a bull with her nose ring and calling her Ronald McDonald.

    Text about a lady defending her nose ring after being told she looks like a bull, referencing Ronald McDonald.

    Image credits: blah_fkin_blah

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    So after another “joke” at the family gathering the author simply told that the grandma looked like Ronald McDonald with her hair dyed red

    The story we’re describing happened about six years ago, when the Original poster (OP) got her piercing – just a hoop in her nostril. A completely typical situation for many people – but, as it turns out, it was downright outrageous for the author’s grandma. From the very first moment, this decent lady began criticizing her granddaughter for her nose ring.

    Literally every meeting became an opportunity for the old lady to fire a few critical – and rather offensive – darts at our heroine. The grandma usually claimed that the nose ring made the author look like a bull. However, the OP specifically noted that it wasn’t actually a septum. Thus, the grandma’s insults were even more weird and offensive.

    Our heroine repeatedly asked her grandma to stop this mocking show, and the last time, she honestly warned her that she would not restrain herself in the future. And if she heard any offensive remark directed at her again, she reserved the right to respond. Needless to say, the grandma either ignored this warning or forgot about it…

    So, at another family gathering, the lady started her old rant again about how the author allegedly looked like a bull with a nose ring… But the granddaughter countered with a punchline: she said her grandmoa looked just like Ronald McDonald with her dyed red hair. The grandma went silent, and then a real family drama erupted.

    The grandmother – and then the author’s mom too – accused her of being disrespectful and rude, to which our heroine reasonably countered that she had repeatedly asked her to stop bullying and warned her of a possible backlash. So the OP simply decided to take this online, seeking netizens’ support.

    Elderly woman smiling indoors wearing a white blouse and pearl necklace near a bright window.

    Image credits: shurkin_son / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Experts note that sometimes grandparents and grandkids have really great relationships – sometimes even better than with their parents – but sometimes the grandparents simply prefer being toxic and overly critical. So, this dedicated article at Choosing Therapy highlights at least two of the seven signs of toxic grandparents, which are common to our tale.

    The first sign would be struggling with boundaries and the second – being verbally and emotionally offensive. The former is characterized, in particular, by imposing one’s own opinions and vision of life, while the latter is inventing all sorts of offensive nicknames for grandchildren and humiliating them in public. In other words, this is essentially what the author’s grandmother did.

    Okay, but how well did our heroine handle the situation described? Anita Cleare, a UK-based parenting expert, urges us to politely but firmly reject unsolicited advice from grandparents, establishing the personal boundaries. However, as we can see in this story, the grandmother actually crossed these boundaries more than once…

    So many people in the comments were just confident that the author did everything right. At least she gave her grandma a fair warning that the next insult would result in a backlash, and it’s not her problem that the old lady ignored that warning! Well, and what do you, our dear readers, think about this case? Please feel free to express your thoughts in the comments.

    Most commenters unanimously sided with the author, claiming that this was just her way to set personal boundaries, and that’s all

    Text post discussing a grandmother's hurtful comment comparing grandkid to a bull with a nose ring, and a playful comeback.

    Text excerpt from online forum post discussing a lady telling her grandkid she looks like a bull with her nose ring.

    Text conversation screenshot showing a user sharing a story about a grandpa’s blunt comment after 5 years, discussing wrinkles and weight.

    Text post from user blah_fkin_blah stating what someone said was significantly worse than what the recipient said.

    Screenshot of a Reddit conversation where a user jokes about a bull and a nose ring in a humorous exchange.

    Lady talks about nose ring and bull comparison while grandkid playfully calls her Ronald McDonald in reply.

    Text conversation about a grandma calling grandkid a bull due to nose ring, with grandkid planning more piercings and a punk look.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment advising respect after a lady tells her grandkid she looks like a bull with her nose ring.

    Reddit comment about a lady telling her grandkid she looks like a bull with a nose ring, sparking a humorous nickname exchange.

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

    What do you think ?
    Jeolas1
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The comment that said Grandma's comments weren't mean spirited? Well, she was told to stop, but continued. That WAS mean spirited!

    Betsy S
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I didn't get that either. Grandma was completely disrespectful and that is mean spirited. And OP is right. Women who are obviously past the age of coloured hair, having obviously boxed coloured hair look just as bad as men with bad combovers. You're just not fooling anyone and you look ridiculous.

    Load More Replies...
    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd buy a cow costume and wear it every time grandma came over. She'd get no conversation from me, only mooing.

    Annabelle
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Okay, THAT is good. Now I see myself in one, and every time my bully, a.busive brother says some sh!t, I moo real fvckin loud in his Judgmental-Jesus face.😆 (Just kidding, I don’t plan on ever seeing that cruel traitor's face again, but that was the visual. Stealing! Thanks!)

    Load More Replies...
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    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Here's my solution. Stay away from AHs. Grandma is an AH. I wouldn't bother insulting her, I'd just be done with her, entirely and walk out of any room she was in. She would just cease to exist for me.

    Annabelle
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you're fortunate enough that they don't track you down, because you're such a fun target for their nastiness, this has definitely been the most peaceful solution for my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    Jeolas1
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The comment that said Grandma's comments weren't mean spirited? Well, she was told to stop, but continued. That WAS mean spirited!

    Betsy S
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I didn't get that either. Grandma was completely disrespectful and that is mean spirited. And OP is right. Women who are obviously past the age of coloured hair, having obviously boxed coloured hair look just as bad as men with bad combovers. You're just not fooling anyone and you look ridiculous.

    Load More Replies...
    Michael Largey
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd buy a cow costume and wear it every time grandma came over. She'd get no conversation from me, only mooing.

    Annabelle
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Okay, THAT is good. Now I see myself in one, and every time my bully, a.busive brother says some sh!t, I moo real fvckin loud in his Judgmental-Jesus face.😆 (Just kidding, I don’t plan on ever seeing that cruel traitor's face again, but that was the visual. Stealing! Thanks!)

    Load More Replies...
    ADVERTISEMENT
    Kate Johnson
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Here's my solution. Stay away from AHs. Grandma is an AH. I wouldn't bother insulting her, I'd just be done with her, entirely and walk out of any room she was in. She would just cease to exist for me.

    Annabelle
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you're fortunate enough that they don't track you down, because you're such a fun target for their nastiness, this has definitely been the most peaceful solution for my mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellness.

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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