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How do I tell my family my birthday doesn't need a performance review?

Funny category photographFunny

My brother plugged his laptop into the television and said, 'Before cake, we need to discuss your annual performance.' The first slide showed my worst haircut. Fine. The next showed a red rating for 'Responding to Mum's messages'. Less fine.

For the past two birthdays, he's made a ten-minute family presentation about me. There are silly certificates and a final recommendation to renew my sibling contract. He spends an evening on it. The first one made me laugh hard enough to lose an earring under the sofa.

This year's slides included screenshots of messages I'd answered late and a chart of family lunches I'd missed. Mum laughed, then asked why I really hadn't come to the August lunch. Suddenly I was explaining a private disagreement while holding a paper award for 'Most Improved Attendance'. My brother said the chart was obviously a joke. I believe he meant it that way.

My next birthday is approaching, and my sister has already asked him whether there'll be a review. I don't want to insult the work he puts in. I also don't want another cake with an appraisal attached. Can I ask him to keep the ridiculous photos and drop the family scores, or is it clearer to retire the whole presentation?

Discussion

1 community replies

Tell him before he spends that evening making slides. 'The haircut slide was great. The messages and lunch scores put me in a real family discussion I didn't want at my birthday.' Those examples give him a usable distinction. You can welcome absurd photos while ruling out private messages and ratings of your behaviour.

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