AIBU to feel a bit peeved

[SchrodingersTwat2]

My sibling often likes to comment in a negative way if I say something has gone well or I'm looking forward to an event. It is a sort of belittling, finding fault or thinking up some terrible problem that might happen.

For context, I'm a lone parent with little money and a very ordinary life. My children are more than 10 years older than my sibling's. The good bits of my life are pretty rare and I also tell my sibling the day to day bits and the bad bits. It's not like I'm showing off daily.

Yesterday I said my youngest is doing well on a course. My sibling asked if I was doing the work for him and that they couldn't believe he would manage an interview.

They then asked about my other child's forthcoming wedding. I said there weren't many plans yet but the registry office was being renovated (huge, Victorian building and very pleasant before, so presumably will be even nicer afterwards). This is the town I live in and my son and his fiancée also live here. There was an immediate very exaggerated face of disgust and "Eeeeuuuurrrghgh, imagine getting married in THAT town!" Not only my home town but the town I got married in.

That sibling has spent 3 years "warning" me that my son's relationship would probably fail. I've no idea why; he and his fiancée are perfectly nice people.

I don't understand it. It's like everything needs a bucketful of cold water throwing over it.

I feel on edge now that I can't say anything positive.

AIBU?

You are not unreasonable to feel like that but from similar experience with a relative theres not much you can do to stop them.

I just don't tell them anything much and if I do get the neggy stuff I just let it wash over me. Don't let them into your head takes practise but you can do it

They are the arsehole not you

YANBU and I agree with @MarkingBad, you just need to pretend it doesn't bother you and that her comments just wash over you.

If you need to respond, try something like "Oh, I see..." or "That's an interesting perspective..." or "Oh well, never mind..." with as little enthusiasm and as bored sounding as possible.

It seems like she's looking for a reaction, so don't give her one. It sounds like she's trying to make you feel bad, but she's probably only doing it because she feels shitty about her own life, try and remember that and try not to let it upset you.

Perhaps when she makes a rude comment, you could think something like "Poor sis, she must really hate her life to make such a shitty comment", so it's reframed in your mind as being more about her than it is about you.

Your sibling sounds awful. I think I'd start calling them out on it and asking 'Is there a reason why you always feel you have to rain on other people's parades? I've noticed that you say something negative about every single nice thing in our lives, and I'm not sure why you feel the need to do that.'

My brother's former MIL was a bit like that. When her daughter, my ex-SIL, lost a lot of weight she immediately said 'I give it six months before it's all back on again' and when SIL was doing a Masters degree sponsored by her employer, she constantly said things like 'They've only accepted her on the course because they want her employer's money, I don't know how she'd meet the requirements for a Masters' and so on. Horrible behaviour.