When I was growing up, presents from my parents each said “From: Mom and Dad." Now, from a young age, there was no doubt in my mind or secret kept that my mother was the one who had actually gone out and purchased each gift (with some exceptions, of course), but that didn't mean that my father had any less to do with it. No one's relationship is perfect—as no two people themselves are perfect—but their relationship had an equal contribution that they both worked hard at… and, so, both their nam…

Weddings really force people to show their true colors...

When it comes to finances and fiancées, it's important to understand that you're about to be married and, on the one hand, your finances are about to be completely connected with this person… and, on the other hand, your finances are about to be completely connected with this person. So, you'd do well to consider how this person is perfectly willing to hand out $25,000 to family without reaching a joint decision on the matter, not to mention being willing to use emotional manipulation in order…

It's generally accepted that you should let kids win at things there's nothing more embarrassing than watching a grown adult demolish kids in sports or games. (The iconic “Billy Madison” scene of Adam Sandler playing dodgeball with children comes to mind.) Of course, there are exceptions to this rule—like if you're an uncle—and there's more of a grey area around how long this should go on. When they're really young, it's more about maintaining their interest in the game you're playing together.…

It's great to have things that you enjoy and allow you to look forward to the days to come. The problem is that a lot of us (all of us?) are wired to think that “A little bit is good, more must be better.” So when something makes us happy, we seek out more and more of that thing until our entire house is chock full of Star Wars memorabilia.

It's hard to imagine intervening in your spouse's workplace drama, even to vouch for them, but especially to side against them. There are certain lines that should not be crossed when it comes to your professional and personal lives. Muddying the waters between the two is never a good idea. This is doubly—no, triply true when it comes to your spouse's workplace, outside of being an agreeable plus one at workplace holiday parties and functions, you should never have anything to do with their wor…

This woman was apparently blindsided when she prepared dinner for herself and her boyfriend, only for him to smirk when he tasted the meal and tell her that he had been “taking notes” and prepared something for her, too.

We all get a little weird and crazy about our pets; that's part of what you sign up for when you devote a significant portion of your time, energy, and financial resources to a fluffy little ball of chaos living with you in your home. I'd argue that, in fact, the entire concept is a little bit crazy, and if you weren't already when you decided to get a furry friend, I promise you that you will soon be driven so. Still, no matter how much we consider our pets members of our families, even the mo…

Imagine this scenario… You want to do something nice for your partner, so you plan some time away with them. Even as a bonus, you organize and pay for their son to come too after plans fall through to have someone watch him. This is no short trip either; we're not talking about a three-day holiday over Memorial Day weekend or anything like that; we're talking about a full ten days. So, you book the tickets and pay for the accommodation—when you get there, your partner ditches you with their kid…

“When I suggested selling it, he cut me off and said that he wasn’t getting a van... It was so combative and defensive the way he said it, and because I was so tired from the day, I lashed out. We argued, it got heated, and I ended up yelling, ‘Your fragile masculinity is costing our family so much money'."

It's usually best to take responsibility for your own decisions and actions. Unfortunately, when you have a propensity for making bad ones, you're also more likely to not want to take responsibility for them, instead casting them off on the other people who had the misfortune of being in your immediate proverbial vicinity. Being eternally financially bound to one of these liabilities through other accountabilities is not a great situation to be in. But, as with anything in life, the best you ca…

These people thought they were getting good advice , only to realize years later how wrong the advice was. Relying on trusted friends and family members is how many people get through life. Of course, you trust the judgment of your mom or your best friend… but they aren't always right. Sometimes well-meaning bits of advice can totally miss the mark. Just because dad can dole out some advice that his father gave him in the 1970s, doesn't mean that's useful in today's day and age. Thanks, but no…

Food allergies are no joke, and most of the time, no one treats them as jokes either. Whether it is schools with a ‘no peanuts' policy or gluten-free restaurants, there is so much awareness of food restrictions, that you can pretty much get by even with a life-threatening one. But you have to have a supporting surrounding, and people who are going to make sure you don't eat anything that could be bad for you. This Redditor shared his experience with his food allergy to fin fish and the way his…

If you own a home with a low interest rate in this economy, holy moly, you have to hold on tight to that. Most people reaching the typical “homeowners” age are not even able to dream of owning a home, let alone, one with a reasonable interest rate. So when this guy posted on Reddit asking if it was unreasonable for him to not want to give up his home that he owns and only pays 2.8% interest, the internet obviously sided with him.

Thirst traps on LinkedIn and now job recruiters on Tinder? What on this gosh green earth will we come across next? It's almost as if we've stepped out of the bounds of reality and now are hurtling forward on some alternative bizarro timeline in which the rules of the universe have been completely flip-flopped.

Pets make for great company and comfort, but nothing about them is cheap—especially when they get into and eat something they weren't supposed which prompts an emergency trip to the vet. Similarly, it's important to remember that your pet has a different biology than you and often really shouldn't be eating the things that you and I are eating. Even some things you might think are okay, you'll be surprised to find they shouldn't be eating—or might even be toxic. A quick search is always the eas…