Coworker repeatedly bothers employee with photos and stories of her 3-year-old son, employee is reprimanded when she asks coworker to keep their relationship professional: ‘My manager… disciplined me for “not being best friends like we should be”’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Jul 5, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Have you ever had that one colleague who couldn't close their mouth, even if you gave them a roll of duct tape? Sometimes, people use their coworkers to blow off some steam or brag about their lives—to each their own. However, it can't possibly be a workplace expectation to allow other colleagues to distract us from the important work we have to complete between 9 am and 5 pm. We, as servants of the workforce, are not obligated to become best friends with our colleagues, nor even maintain a level of friendship with them. We are collaborators, first and foremost, and if we keep the peace professionally, that is enough.

The boss in this next story does not seem to think so. This higher-up tried to get their employee, who rightfully set a boundary with another colleague, to apologize for setting said boundary. There's nothing wrong with wanting to keep a coworking relationship professional, especially when it cuts into your productivity—and your unpaid lunch breaks.

What do you think about this? Commenters seem to think that the employee was completely in the right, but they shouldn't have walked away from the position and admitted defeat. Scroll below to read the entire story.

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  • "She would either have her phone in my face, showing me photos and videos of her son, or tell me many different stories and demand my attention."
    via Julio Lopez for Unsplash

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "AITA for telling a coworker I’m not interested in her child?"

    This happened a few years ago and I have since left the place, however I'd like opinions as it's recently been brought to my attention again. All ages are what they were at the time.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • I (21f) and Lucy (25f) were hired at the same time. We were pushed to be friends by management so made to go on
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • the same lunch together and encouraged to get to know each other. I was friendly with her, however didn't want to be friends as such as we weren't similar.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • Every lunchtime she would talk about her son (3m). I had no problem with this, however, it became constant. For my whole
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • lunch (an hour a day), I couldn't relax, eat or look at my phone because she would either have her phone in my face showing me photos and videos of her son, or tell me many different stories and demand my attention.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • It got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore, as it was constant. I'm not exaggerating at all, it was either
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • about her child or her stepchildren who she hated. This also carried on outside of lunch when I was trying to work.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • I put up with this for around 3 weeks (a total of 15 hours) then politely said something like the below:
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • "I really appreciate that your son is important to you, however, on my lunch I'd like to eat, have a look at my phone and relax as it's my free time. I'm not interested in spending my lunch looking at and hearing about your son."
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • Cheezburger Image 10525099520
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Lucy has then reported me to my manager for b lying and being on my phone during lunch and not talking to her. My manager
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • has upheld this, disciplined me for "not being best friends like we should be", tried to initiate mediation & get me to apologise.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • I wasn't enjoying the role anyway due to the workload, and with the social pressure added on top I handed in my notice.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • I'm wondering AITA? I did think a lot in advance how to politely phrase it.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • lilolememe NTA If you are on your break, no one is entitled to your time. She lied about you which says a lot about her. She better be careful because her character is going to bite her in the b t.
    via lilolememe
  • Enigmaticsole This is nonsense. I assume your lunch was an unpaid break so they have no means by which to force you to sit with and listen to her. You should have left the site for a walk or something. NTA for handing in your notice.
    via Enigmaticsole
  • Jerseygirl2468 NTA if that's really how you said it, there was nothing wrong with what you said, and she had no reason to report you to HR, that's silly. Plus the workplace has no business trying to force two people to be friends.
    via Jerseygirl2468
  • Delicious-Chapter217 It wouldn't have been verbatim as it was a while ago but it was definitely along those lines, I'd thought for a while about how to phrase it to be as polite but firm as possible.
    via Delicious-Chapter217
  • SampsonShrill LOL what? You should give them a whole lot of pushback for suggesting you need to be best friends with some rando. But NTA, though navigating people at work wanting to blabber on to you in your free time is a lifelong issue.
    via SampsonShrill
  • DesperateLobster6 This can't be real! You're allowed to be on your phone during lunch & you don't have to be friends with anyone at work. Especially someone who monopolized your time like that!!! I would've gone to HR because she's creating a hostile work environment. Ask to be transferred or work with someone else. She's an emotional crybaby, and I'm not sure why she's in the workforce! I get she has to provide, but she's so immature it's insane!!! Good for you for handing in your notice! That'
    via DesperateLobster6*

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terrible coworkers aita workplace-stories entitlement work coworkers reddit story karen coworker entitled people karma workplace entitled reddit thread Reddit coworker entitled people
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