The problem: She regularly brings huge amounts of pork-and-olive meatloaf over to our house when she comes to babysit. She believes my husband loves her pork meatloaf and thinks my son likes it , but I absolutely despise this dish. I hate how it smells, how it tastes, everything. I simply can’t stomach it, and every time she brings it I have to find a new excuse not to eat it. I find myself skipping meals in my own home, because I can’t figure out how to say “I love you, but I cannot eat this.
I also think some perspective is necessary here. You’re not saying that you despise her as a human being, or that you’re not allowing her to see your child again—you’re just saying that you don’t like a certain food she makes. She’s a grown woman, and I’m sure she can handle some negative feedback. In doing so, I would take a kind, but direct, approach. You can say something like, “I have to be honest with you.
Keeping it real with family members and close friends can be difficult, but I’ve confronted loved ones with everything from telling them to handle their ferocious body odor to stop making misogynistic jokes. If you come from a place of love, they will understand and act accordingly. The main thing is that life is too short to suffer in silence, so rip the band-aid off now so you won’t be a prisoner in your own home going forward.“Ellen” and I have been friends for years.