Your family should always come first in your priorities. Having said that, is it your duty as a family member to encourage and assist them in all of their endeavors, no matter how foolish they may be? The story below is an account of a frustrated sister. The original poster (OP) worked very hard to ensure that she lived in a beautiful house and had a nice life. Her sister, on the other hand, made the decision to travel with her entire fortune and even sold her house to earn the additional cash.…

There are plenty of types of weddings: bad weddings, good weddings, traditional weddings, and untraditional ones… those at traditional locations and those taking place on the tops of mountains and places you generally might not ever expect; there are also those that go all out and those without any manner of ceremony whatsoever. No matter what the difference one thing generally remains certain: The wedding is for those being married and a chance for their loved ones to witness and celebrate the…

It's commonly believed that it's improper to mix business and pleasure. However, what would you say if, after all of your effort, your sibling refused to compensate you for your labor and time? The story below is an account of a frustrated brother. For a living, the original poster (OP) remodels houses. So when his brother asked whether he would be willing to refurbish his house, he immediately said yes. OP even gave his brother a discount in exchange for his devotion and good name. However, th…

Your first focus should always be your family. Having said that, how would you respond if you started to suspect that your family is taking advantage of your goodwill and generosity? The story below is an account of a frustrated daughter. The original poster (OP) moved to the US in order to advance her career. Since leaving her home country, she has been sending money to her parents as a token of appreciation for all of their support throughout the years. Though initially everything was well, t…

Whether or not you're still in school, you're an adult at 21 years old, and as such, it stands to reason that you should be significantly contributing to your living situation. There may be some situations where your family might be wealthy enough that you can get away with not contributing, but for most, the reality of most family situations will be that this is not the case, and at 21 years old, you will need to be contributing. Readers here voted for the university student not to be in the w…

The English language appears to have extended over the globe in our modern era. Because of globalization and America's immense cultural influence, it's nearly a given that you know a few terms in English, no matter where you are in the world. The story below is an account of a petty cousin. Since he was a little boy, the original poster (OP) has spoken English fluently. Therefore, OP furiously rejected his cousin's sudden request to teach him English so he might woo a girl by reading her a poem…

Your family should always come first. Conversely, setting boundaries and declining help when necessary is perfectly reasonable. The story below is an account of a confused sister. Every year, the original poster (OP) and her family take trips together. OP, however, informed her family that neither she nor her spouse would be able to attend because of her current unemployment. Things were going well at first, but when her brother insisted that she take care of his five dogs the entire journey, t…

If you break something, you're responsible for its repair or replacement; that's really just common sense. Hopefully, you have insurance for such things that would cover you if someone needed you to repair or replace it. This responsibility understandably extends to your dependents, pets, and anything else you should have a responsibility and control over—whether or not you take that responsibility seriously. Still, there are situations where the claimant might end up dealing with a claimant wh…

Cruise ships: floating palaces packed with tourists and plague that light up the oceans and terrorize whatever small port they happen to land in. You'd have to consider yourself mighty important indeed to think that one of these floating fortresses would forestall its scheduled course in order to accommodate your unfortunately entitled person... Sure, let's leave 3999 people waiting while the 4000th takes their time making your way back to the dock according to their own time. Sure, it's a toug…

Baby names are a tricky subject, especially when you factor in familial traditions that you might be expected to uphold, and limitations, judgment, and grievances that might be placed by the people around on the name you finally settle on. Of course, especially these days, many people want their baby's name to be unique. Yet somehow these people all end up naming their kid some variation of the same thing, not realizing it until their kid is one of dozens of “Theo”s in their class when they sta…

Conducting business can be costly. Since there are no guarantees in business, only the daring among us take the chance and embark on the journey into the corporate world. The story below describes a disappointed sibling. The original poster (OP) had recently lost his father. After the father's passing, the children received equal ownership of the assets and money. As a result, upon inheriting the father's run-down home, OP spotted his chance to become wealthy and realized that real estate was h…

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…

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…

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…

Indeed, family is precious, and you should make every effort to love and support them during good times and bad. But when will you be able to acknowledge that your family members might be taking advantage of you with their constant barrage of absurd demands? The story that follows is written from the viewpoint of an angry sibling. The original poster (OP) and his brother did not share a close bond. Perhaps they were tight as children, but since OP embarked on his journey to adulthood, they’ve g…

Nothing is worse than someone who thinks they are the exception to every rule—especially when that person is your sibling. And, if you think you are the exception to a rule when you haven't been told explicitly such... You probably aren't. It's important here to take a look in the mirror and realize that each and every one of us does this to an extent. It should come as no surprise that a lot of these involve driving. “Speed limits? But I'm a good driver; I can drive 5 or 10 over safely!” or “I…