How to Handle Awkward Family Questions

Be prepared. If members of your extended family love to ask awkward questions, you need to be prepared so they don't catch you by surprise. If it's not your first family gathering, you probably already know at least some of the questions they are going to ask. Get ready to anticipate them. For example, you can say that you've decided to focus on your academics/career and don't want any distractions before they can ask you if you are dating anyone.

Keep calm and be polite. Sometimes family interrogations frustrate us so much that we want to scream and throw things at anyone who dares ask us another awkward question. Well, don't do that however obnoxious your relatives are. You don't want to turn family dinner into a battlefield, do you?

If you get defensive and tell them it's none of their business, it will definitely spoil the mood. You can honestly say that their question makes you uncomfortable, but you shouldn't make a big deal out of it. Or just give a vague answer without actually answering the question. It's called being diplomatic.

Don't give away too much. Maybe your relatives ask you questions because they think it's a polite thing to do. Maybe they really want to know how you are doing. Either way, don't overshare and give away all the juicy details hoping that it will make them shut up. There are things your relatives don't need to know about you. If you keep your answers short, they will hopefully leave your alone soon.

Use humor to deflect. Making a joke is one of the most effective ways to stop an awkward interrogation, especially if your nosy relative seems to have forgotten to be tactful. If they ask you what you are going to do after graduation, tell them you are planning to join a traveling circus since you already have some experience. We hope they will get your hint.

Start the conversation yourself. Start talking to your siblings or cousins to prevent your nosy older relatives from asking you awkward questions. If they manage to edge their way into your conversation, answer their question quickly and ask them something in return or change the topic to throw them off.