AITA for telling the parents of my 8 year old niece that her art is less important than mine ?

A Redditor shares a heated family dispute over the importance of their art compared to their young niece’s budding talent. As a professional artist, they face mounting pressure from family to promote the niece’s work at major conventions, which ultimately disrupts their income and creates stress.

After an emotionally charged weekend at a convention, the user is left grappling with the balance between supporting their niece and protecting their career. To learn more about this family’s artistic rivalry, read the original story below.

‘ AITA for telling the parents of my 8 year old niece that her art is less important than mine’

I am an artist. The majority of my income is tabling at conventions like Comiccon I work hard, not to toot my own horn but I’m skilled, invested a lot of time and money, and that rewards me with a good income and cool job My niece is starting to draw, mostly anime characters.

She has an iPad and program I use because she wants to ‘be like me’ and that’s cool. ​ Edit: I originally explained here that she’s not great at art *yet* (she only started a few months ago). Family kept telling me she’s Mozart and I was frustrated, so I was tactless about how I worded it.

Original in the automod comment if you care about seeing that. She’s going to be amazing and I’m encouraging her to practice. ​ Scene: Big convention, my biggest money-maker, highest-stress event in my calendar.

Long days, long weekend, high cost high reward. Niece loves anime so family is going too. Week before I get a call, they’ve made prints of niece’s art and want to put them on my table. I said they could have a little space.

Day one they left her with me to be a ‘little helper’. She stood in front of my table, directing people to her prints. I lost a lot of sales. People wanted to *look at* her art, and coo at the adorable child, but that resulted in people blocking my table Day two I said I wouldn’t babysit, I had a table to run.

Her parents stayed, much worse. They blocked the table, and accosted anyone who came up, interrupting people buying from me to talk about niece. I was stressed and tired, I’m ashamed I barely stood up for myself, every time I tried I was told off.

I had a panic attack all Saturday as potential customers were grabbed away by my aunt and uncle Day three they left, niece o**rwhelmed (her parents mad at me).

Day three is slow but made the most money so yeah, glad they weren’t there Usually, I make 3 months’ rent at this con, footfall and hype were high. I barely broke even.. ​

They want to bring her to the next one, take more table space, more merch. She sold a dozen prints, I’m proud of her for that, but events can cost thousands, I can’t afford to finance her I put my foot down.

If this was another job you couldn’t force a ‘take your niece to work day’ but because art is a ‘hobby’ they’ve pushed the boundary
They argue I should be a role model, I’m jealous of the attention, I’m afraid of the ‘competition’, I’m s**fish for thinking I’m better etc.

I got angry and said yes, my art **is** better. It’s my income, it’s good enough to sell. They said she needs me, as she wouldn’t be accepted if she applied to cons herself, I said there’s a reason for that. It was mean… but also literally true? This is my job, I won’t compromise it. ‘So get a real job’

She could do art fairs, easier stuff. I offered to take her to small events but that enraged them (how dare I gatekeep) I’m not her parents’ ticket to her fame and fortune, they bring up my follower count and think I should leverage it for her benefit too but that puts a major dip in my engagement.

Take a look at the comments from fellow users:

sephyir −  NTA, obviously, supporting your niece is nice, but your livelihood is more important.
I do hope you didn’t say all that in front of her, though.

RoyallyOakie −  NTA…it’s your income. If you can’t survive, you’re no inspiration to anyone. Let them set up and pay for her own table and experience the boring side of the industry.

madogvelkor −  NTA. If they push her into big events like that and make her life revolve around art they risk making her lose interest and enjoyment in it. They sound like dance/sports parents but with art.

Kayhowardhlots −  NTA. Reading the headline I thought I’d say differently but yeah if they want her to have a table and representing at these type of events then they need to rent her own table.

And truthfully, having parents doing pressure sales at a your table would keep me from going by your table even if I really wanted to see what you had/eat interested in purchasing. I hate pressure sales like this especially when kids are involved. I think it’s dirty and a little smarmy.

Merrik4t −  NTA and I would send them a bill for half the cost of the table. Stop trying to cling to these relationships. Your sister is awful, her husband is awful, and that kid isn’t going to turn out well either. Go ahead and p**s them off.

Professional_Ruin953 −  NTA. They’re F-ing over your livelihood. That’s not acceptable and if they do it a second time it could mean you end up homeless.

You’ve basically taken a massive pay cut this year to let this child cos-play as a commercial artist. The absolute entitlement of them. They can book and pay for her own table. They can learn the real cost of selling.

Comfortable-Sea-2454 −  NTA – you supported your niece and she and her parents prevented you from making a living. “She could do art fairs, easier stuff. I offered to take her to small events but that enraged them (how dare I gatekeep)” They don’t want to accept that you had to work your way up so your niece will have to as well as her art improves.

Iamhuntingwerewolves −  NTA – they see your success and your career as the perfect step for their little baby to boost up. Your effort now, in their eyes, only serves as a means to elevate their baby and anything less than full commitment on your part is unacceptable.

They fully expect you to build a business and simply hand it over to her fully formed, with customer base attached and steady income. Any indication that she needs to put in the work to build her brand is seen as gatekeeping.

She doesn’t want to be like you, she wants to be you, as you are now, success automatically transferred. She is negatively affecting your income, your livelihood and literally your ability to feed yourself.

This is the same as her standing outside your professional bakery with a table of her homemade treats and shouting at everyone that walks inside then expecting you to give her a portion of your shop. They see your art career as a cute little hobby, just like hers.

[Reddit User] −  NTA but learn to grow a spine, you gave up two days of earnings because you didnt stand up for yourself. Even posting here if you’re the bad guy in this situation is weak.

You couldnt tell an 8 year old on the first day to sit down and get out of the way, you just let her stand there presenting her artwork the entire day? As soon as you saw you lost your first potential customer you should’ve done something.

You dont have to insult your niece at all, just draw the line that this is your job, you dont have to justify your job. Dont invite them to the next one, If they show up wont listen then call security to remove them from your table so they get the message.

Backgrounding-Cat −  NTA maybe you have to show spreadsheets about how much money you lost last time.

Do you think the user was right to prioritize their career over family expectations, or should they have supported their niece more? How would you navigate a situation where family dynamics clash with professional responsibilities? Share your thoughts in the comments below!