AIBU – to object to colleague’s constant sharing of videos of their nephew?

[clary]

I have a young colleague who has a nephew (her brother’s child) and she loves him dearly. That’s great. But she is constantly showing pictures and videos of this child (who seems perfectly sweet and a normal 4yo). I am talking a three-minute video of an 18mo taking steps or a 2yo saying something vaguely comprehensible, or a toddler not very interested in an expensive toy.

I get that she is besotted, and so are her parents (only grandchild) but I am not. I have never met Oliver, nor his dad, and while I am sure they are lovely people, I am fed up with the endless videos.

We have mostly been working remotely but a few weeks ago we were in the office together – she seized the chance to catch me up on many many videos of Oliver and his latest amazing achievements. Oh my god please let me get on with my work! But no, I need to watch yet another video of a pre-schooler doing the stuff that all pre-schoolers do.

AIBU to be fed up with this? Should she not have some basic understanding of manners and common politeness? Is it not frankly rude to insist on your work colleagues watching endless dull videos of a child they have never met and never will meet, doing very very ordinary things?

I realise I have posted in AIBU and I am ready to be told I am and I need to suck it up btw. I genuinely want to know if this would annoy others.

@MuddyStiletto, that made me laugh. I used to work with someone who would tell me about her dreams. It was so boring. I'm not often lost for words but I struggled to comment. I mean, what is there to say??!!

I had a colleague who constantly went on about her grandkids, how cute they were, constant videos, pictures, anecdotes. She was besotted which was lovely but she exhausted my polite interest within days of working there. I just used to head her off at the pass, not even watch but say 'adorable.' And go back to my screen or walk off. She didn't find it rude, skin like a rhino. Point is, people who over share this kind of thing don't really care about your individual response, they just want someone to share with. You just need to make very clear it won't be you. Don't make it about you hating kids etc, just smile but bluntly don't engage. She will move onto someone else ASAP.

[quote Amdone123]@MuddyStiletto, that made me laugh. I used to work with someone who would tell me about her dreams. It was so boring. I'm not often lost for words but I struggled to comment. I mean, what is there to say??!![/quote]
I used to work in a call centre and two of my (lovely) team mates would come in each morning and without fail, there would be a conversation between them and an unwilling me about their previous night’s dreams.

I FUCKING HATE hearing about peoples dreams, it’s my number 1 pet hate. So indulgent, going on and on, expecting people to care about something that happened entirely in your head.

I snapped one day after a few months and said I couldn’t bear it anymore, please please can we talk about something else? We were proper friends at that stage so thankfully they just laughed and had their dream convos between themselves when I wasn’t around.

Oh the dream recounters…ffs. Who do they think gives a shit? I find dream recounting totally socially inept. There is no reason to tell other people about them other than to bore on about yourself oblivious to their actual interest. Fuck off.

See also…
People who give you an indepth plot explanation of the book or tv show they are currently reading or watching. A brief outline is fine, I love a good book or film recommendation…but if you’re talking for more than three minutes you’re boring the crap out of the person you are talking to. They don’t want to read your book. Shut up.

How often is it? If it was every day I’d have to say something, every week I’d just tolerate it.

I used to have a colleague who, when we were on evening shift, would immediately ask what I’d had for dinner, then launch into telling me what she had. Once I told her I’d had egg and chips every day for a week (three days as I’m part time) and she never noticed, just launched into what she’d had in her wonder pot cooker.

I notice some people though don’t seem to be able to tell if others aren’t interested. I can tell when I’m talking to someone if they’re bored and I wrap the conversation up, but some people just drone on as other peoples eyes glaze over.

@Kanaloa it was most days when we were in the office. Thankfully now it is only on the rare days we are both in. I am all primed now and will have prep for a meeting I must do (not a lie anyway). Thanks all.