We're often taught that you have an obligation to love your family and that “blood is thicker than water” and all of that

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…

Let's face it: a lot of us were miserable about stuff when we were kids and teenagers that we would later go on to regret. Even if you have the most positive home environment, it's a confusing and difficult time in your development. Even still, I know there were times when I caused a stink about something only to go on to have the best day, leaving me with lifelong regret for making it difficult for my parents in the first place. But, when you're a teen , there's a high likelihood that you're g…

Doing chores and contributing to the household is just a part of being a member of the household, especially as you get older. The harsh reality is that when you're a teenager, soon the gloves are going to come off, and you're going to be faced with the harsh reality that surviving day to day as an adult requires 10x as much effort just to maintain functional normality as you anticipate when you're a kid at home. Plus, your parents are doing these things daily just to keep the family (what ofte…

There's a whole lot going on in this post that's really difficult to un- pack (hah, get it) and that I really just can't quite wrap my head around. So, let's start here: Why on earth does a 13-year-old need FIFTY backpacks? With a single bag alone costing $500. And why in the heck does a 13-year-old have their own influencer account?.. And where in the heck are they storing all of these backpacks? At the risk of sounding very “old man yelling at clouds here,”… what in the heck is going on with…

Everyone likes to think that they're the exception to a rule, usually because they're so certain that they're so much better and smarter than everybody. The reality of the situation couldn't be further from the truth, and the truth is this: If you think you're the exception, the rule exists for you. This couldn't be truer than when it comes to parents who think that their kids should be an exception to “child-free” events, either bringing them anyway without saying anything or making some drama…

This situation sounds like every kid's dream and every neighbor's worst nightmare. If you spent ages begging your parents for a pool or a trampoline as a kid, you're not alone. It's a common experience for kids who want to get their energy out and spend countless hours swimming or bouncing with their friends. Of course, as a kid you probably aren't aware of what the neighbors think about you bouncing on a trampoline for hours every day, or splashing around loudly in a pool doing cannonballs wit…

Family is difficult, perhaps even one of the most difficult things. Even when the relationships are fairly "traditional" and straightforward, let's be honest: what is straightforward? Is there even really a straightforward when it comes to family? The reality is that there hardly ever is, and the families that try and act like things are straightforward are the most likely to be hiding something. When families are more complex, mixed, or “blended” things get even further from simple. And who is…

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…

When we're young, we assume that our parents and other adults in authority are infallible, generally taking them at their word and assuming that all adults conduct themselves in mature, non-biased, morally upright, and ethical ways. You come to find, as you age, that even the paragons of your youth are, in fact, fallible, imperfect people. This realization will often first cause you to feel resentment before you eventually come to accept as you age further that they were nothing more than peopl…

This sounds harsh, but it's one of those lessons where the sooner you learn it in life, the better off you'll be. Success takes effort—and sustained effort at that. At a certain point, a certain amount of sustained effort is going to be an essential factor and determinant of whether you have an income that can support your continued existence and survival. That's not to say that it's the only thing that matters, but for most of us, it's an important starting point. Thus, this lesson holds value…

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…

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…

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…

Kids are something else. Imagine you're a parent (you probably are if you clicked on this post). It's 6:00 AM, and your kids are already battling each other outside their shared bathroom. They refuse to get ready together and lock one another out, causing chaos, as usual. You shuffle around, getting things ready, making breakfast, and occasionally pulling them apart. One kid hates their outfit, the other one hates you. It's just a typical morning. Their expressions are storm clouds of teenage r…

A will is a tricky thing, and it is the root cause of conflict in families, especially when one of the older relatives is showing signs of being on their way out. This grandpa shared a story about how frustrated he was with his reckless son, who fully expected that his child should be on the will. That sounds reasonable unless you know the background of the story. See, this kid wasn't one hundred percent part of the family. Or at least, the grandpa suspected he wasn't… His son's wife had cheate…