We all have the idyllic When you grow up and realize that your kid's grandparents are also your in-laws, everything gains a new perspective. What's somehow even stranger, though, is coming to find that you're either “dad's side” or “mom's side” of the family for your sibling's kids. If a kid is telling you in earnest that they don't feel comfortable going to grandma's house, that alone is saying something.

Regardless of whether or not you've achieved immaterial enlightenment or are neck deep in the current iteration of the social-media-fueled consumerist frenzy, it's more than likely that you possess things that are your favorite. Chances are these items have some sort of sentimental value—a keepsake from a loved one or photographs that are irreplaceable despite having no measurable value. They may have some monetary value, too, regardless of whether or not you'd ever want to sell them. Heck, may…

It really should go without saying that you can't just go around renaming people just because you don't like their name for some reason. Even if—no, especially if—that person is a foster kid under your care. Some things like this are so outrageously laughable and out-of-pocket that they would be silly if they weren't so cruel… This 16-year-old foster child found himself facing hostility from his new foster family's extended family, who apparently came to the decision that his name, “Nico,” was…

Spending the holidays with your husband's ex-wife sounds like prime material for a straight-to-streaming holiday-themed romantic comedy, but the reality is that it's not nearly as funny when it is your reality. This stepmother turned to this online community for advice on a complex personal problem she was facing and wondered if she was in the wrong for encouraging her 19-year-old stepdaughter to speak up about ending their joint family holiday gatherings with the stepdaughter's mother, her hus…

Generosity only goes so far when you're asked to give up your first-class seat on a 10+ hour flight. If you are the type of person who would willingly downgrade your experience despite what you paid for, then you are a greater person than most people are. We are inclined to side with the Redditor in this situation. She had splurged on this flight experience because she had been overworked and exhausted. It was a worthy gift to herself. When a pregnant woman's husband asked if she would give up…

Everyone has problems—some may not be as bad, and others will be worse—a lot worse than yours. But that doesn't invalidate any one of those problems or anyone and their feelings. Yes, venting and sharing are good and can make you feel a lot better about your problems, but it's important that it's reciprocal. Like with anything in a relationship, you have to give as much as you take. This pregnant woman had been going through the motions with her friend, who was also pregnant. At first, she was…

Learning boundaries is important, even if it means being disappointed—not everything is always going to go your way. Sure, when you're one year old, something you were interested in suddenly disappearing might be the worst thing that's ever happened to you, but it's important to learn that lesson now because once you're older, learning that same lesson gets a lot more inappropriate and embarrassing. There's a big difference between a 12-year-old throwing a public tantrum because they didn't get…

Doing favors for people generally would be met with some sort of reciprocation or thanks, and you would generally expect to be compensated for any of your own resources you might spend helping them. Say, something like paying someone for gas when they've given you a ride or picked you up from the airport. It's not an equal transaction because you're not compensating them for their time or for the service they've provided you, but you're at least saving them from bearing the most direct financia…

Family dynamics are always tough, even in the best of circumstances… Parenting teenagers is difficult enough when they're your own flesh and blood or they're otherwise your sole charge and are obligated to follow your direction. It gets infinitely more difficult when you have another adult who is influential in your life—especially one of their parents who is undermining you and just generally poisoning the well and encouraging them to be toxic towards you at every possible chance. You'd think…

It's surprising and disappointing sometimes the disrespect and disregard people have for their spouses when relationships are supposed to be built on respect and support. We're talking about someone who is supposed to be your other half, so it makes sense that responsibilities be split and handled as if that were the case—where capable and able. We're all only human, and our lives and their requirements are changing all the time, so we're not going to get it right all the time, but that's where…

Infertile? There are many ways to have a son or daughter that never involve pregnancy: you can adopt, you can foster, or you can steal your sister's baby before it's ever born...

We all like to think of our lives as being cut into neat little shapes with clearly defined outlines and borders. The reality of that couldn't be any further from the truth, and those who insist the most fervently that there is nothing amiss in their life are either hiding something or in complete denial. So, when you read something along the lines of “mother rejects their child,” you probably make a judgment call before even knowing the rest of the context, coming in guns blazing and ready to…

Why do boomers want the next generations to suffer just as much as they did?

Naming kids is a minefield that's littered with many potential pitfalls. Upholding family traditions comes into contact with conflicting expectations from either side of the family, meeting jarringly with modern naming trends while trying to make sure that it also ends up being something unique while also avoiding adverse personal and pop culture associations. Yeah, you're never gonna get it exactly right; just when you think you're getting close to settling on a name, you come to learn that it…

While we groan and gripe at the constant mention of ‘company culture’ and ‘record profits', at least some CEOs are benign enough to ignore on a regular basis. But while there are a handful of untroublesome employers, there are also a few bosses out there still clinging to cringey, outdated behavior that has no place in the office in 2024.

It's often said that HR is never on your side, but is merely there to maintain an equilibrium that will prevent the organization from opening itself to vulnerability or liability. They are there to manage the “human” resources of the company, and—well, that's you . Still, in instances where you're dealing with someone in the organization—be it a boss, coworker, or other party—who is so incredibly off base with their actions or reasoning, then it just makes sense to go to HR and help them see yo…