Mic.Com: How to Deal with Difficult Relatives, A Therapists Guide

"One strategy can be to play dumb when someone says something insulting or offensive. Ask them to explain the comment. Often, when people are forced to extrapolate on their derogatory statements, it takes the wind out of them,” says Goerlich. “Insulting comments thrive when they are fed with laughter or nods of agreement. Someone making an abusive statement will rarely feel comfortable expanding upon their thought process.” 

Read the full article here: 
https://www.mic.com/p/how-to-deal-with-difficult-relatives-a-therapists-guide-19439982