Names are a personal thing… A personal thing that you traditionally have no control over—yet that defines your life before it even begins… and forms the basis of how others shape their understanding of you. It's understandable why we need them. The whole thing just makes sense and would be a little confusing if we didn't have ways of categorizing and referring to one another—even in the simplest means of communication… Imagine a world without names where you had no way of identifying who a mess…

When you're a kid, there's plenty of stuff that you don't want to eat, the sheer existence of it being abhorrent and causing your stomach to turn. Your parent's attempts to trick and force you to eat it are unsuccessful. Try as they might to present it to you in new or disguised ways; your disgust remains. I remember loving my mom's mac and cheese as a kid until I one day saw her making it and witnessed her pouring some sludge labeled “cream of mushroom” into the mix. Cream of mushroom? I had u…

Our parents are never going to totally agree with the way we choose to live our lives, there's just too much of a difference between the times we were raised in comparison to their own life experiences. Things change, as un undeniable nad undisputable fact, time marches on, and even of the most open minded of us can find ourselves behind the “now” of the world. Of course, for those without an open mind, this is harder still. They're not particularly fond of any change to begin with, so change t…

Every parent needs a trusty babysitter they can leave their kids with from time to time. Whether you need them to watch your kids while you're at work, going out with friends, or simply in case of unexpected emergencies, it is always important to have someone you can count on. For many parents, that trusty babysitter is often a teenager who is looking for a way to make some money, and watching kids while they usually sleep seems like an easy way to do so. But it is crucial to remember that thos…

Sometimes, teenagers don't even need to disobey their parents in order to show them just how ridiculous they are acting. In this case, we have a ridiculous stepmother who decided to chastise the Redditor for driving to his friend's place briefly to show off his brand new driver's license. It's the kind of accomplishment you want to relay to your friends. This isn't just another “teenagers being silly" story; this is a case of “give the kid a break.” Unfortunately, the stepmom from down below de…

It's often said that you should never ask questions that you don't know the answer to. It should also probably be said that you should never insist on an answer to that question once the chance to give one has been politely declined. Doing so is just setting yourself up for a bad time when the person you're demanding an answer from gives you one that you really don't want to hear… and when things get sensitive, a confrontation is sure to follow. This step-mom insisted on placing herself on the…

This mother needed a vacation away from parenting, and we totally get it. Not only was she the primary caretaker of her three children, but also she was juggling virtually every household duty imaginable with her own part-time job. Objectively speaking, the division of labor within this household was wildly imbalanced, yet somehow, this woman’s husband thinks differently. Sure, he works a full-time job and is technically the primary breadwinner of the family, but even so, you would think he wou…

Yes, your family should come first, but maintaining healthy boundaries is just as important as maintaining a strong family connection. Having stated that what would you do if your brother came to you for assistance but, in truth, refused to take any necessary action to support himself? Would you remain firm in demanding that your sibling learn how to fend for himself, or would you surrender in silence under the pretense of family loyalty? The brother who is frustrated is described in the story…

Life is about trying things, but it's also about knowing your limits. In theory, you want to be able to find a good balance between the adventurous part of yourself and your rational side. If you lean too far into your impulses to explore, you could end up driving in the dark on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no cell service (this happened to a fairly impulsive friend of mine). On the other end of the spectrum, though, you don't want to be so stuck in your routine that you…

When you're legally and financially tied to another person to the point where everything would be evenly split should the relationship end, you really have no business making excessively extravagant purchases without the both of you being on the same page. The acceptability of these slides further when that thing has no bearing on, or positive effect on, advancing your lives or livelihood together. Look I'm not going to be one of those people who starts talking about how collecting “pictures pr…

Working for wealthy folks can be endlessly frustrating. People may think The White Lotus and Triangle of Sadness are heightened exaggerations of what it's like, but based on these stories, it's quite clear that those films may be leaning closer to nonfiction territory than anyone wants to believe. Although I have never worked as a full-time nanny , I have worked in education, specifically for wealthy families. I have seen the entitlement, the distorted view of reality, and the unrealistic expec…

A gift is given willingly—usually without having an expectation placed upon it. Sure, when you're a kid, you might have gotten away with giving Mom and Dad some direction as to what to get you so that you didn't end up with something that wasn't worth anyone's money or time. For instance, if you asked your parents for just a generic “Gameboy game,” you'd wind up with some blockbuster movie cash grab that was almost unplayable and made by some third-party developer instead of the Pokemon game yo…

This family seems like they might need to clear some things up before their next dinner party. After marrying his wife, the Original Poster (OP) noticed his mother-in-law was always urging him to save his money. At first, he thought she was just looking out for him. It turns out that she actually plans to have her son-in-law fund her and her husband's retirement since they have no savings themselves. The entitled Boomer mother-in-law accidentally let this information slip when the family was al…

Siblings should always tease one another, that is pretty much the most basic rule in the siblings' rule book. One of the common ways to tease your younger siblings is by telling them they are actually adopted, and coming up with the most elaborate story for what happened with their actual birth parents, hiding their baby pictures, and sometimes even asking your parents to go along with it. The girl in this Reddit story discovered that her life is not far from being a big adoption prank, except…

Being a guest in someone else's house means adjusting to new rules, some of which can be, well, ridiculous. Sure, there are the common ones that visitors are used to, such as taking off your shoes at the front door or house rules regarding how pets are treated (how they're fed, where they're allowed to go, etc.). Unfortunately, these folks had to deal with a lot more than the average house guest. For instance, one of these guests had to endure leaving doors open at all times. Yes, that included…

Family dynamics are tough, and when it comes to siblings and cousins—as close as you might be—there's a very good chance that as you grow up you'll grow apart as you find your own path's in life. It's one of the hardest things to experience and leaves a lasting impression on you, but maybe you were better off without them. After all, they're all crazy, but you're not… right? Statistics aren't on your side but surely your apple must have fallen a little further from the tree than the rest of the…