Focusing on your kids' schooling and future is important, but it's easy to lose sight of the little things and moments along the way that are also important. Failing to nurture their unique skills and interests may cost them the chance to do something that they feel is fulfilling and rewarding and what they deem to be the success of their own lives. Also, pushing them too hard to be successful may be counterproductive and drive them into burnout, which takes years to recover from. Plus, we've s…

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…

Meals are undoubtedly one of the most important daily chores, along with sleep. Being properly fed is one of the things that everything else in a successful and happy life stems from. But providing healthy meals for your family isn't cheap… Have you seen the price of groceries these days? And the time it takes to cook and clean for an entire family can't be understated. So, undoubtedly, the combination of those two things, the time and the price of the actual food, would be supremely valuable.…

Hosting family events is no small thing. Letting people into your intimate space who you have a close and (possibly) troubled history with, resulting from problematic relationship dynamics, presents all sorts of problems. It's basically like opening a Pandora's box of sorts of complex family trauma. Usually, the problematic ones will be rogue cousins or uncles who you just don't see eye to eye with, but occasionally, it will be your own problematic parents. This woman found herself at a breakin…

This stepmother has been really struggling to develop a closer relationship with her stepdaughter At 18, you are an “adult” in every sense of the word. Sure, your frontal lobe hasn't fully developed, and you're going to make a whole lot of bad choices over the next seven or so years, but the difference between 17 and 18 is that you're going to be solely responsible—and accountable—for those decisions. That means the way you engage your peersonal relationships. If you're fortunate and privileged…

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

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…

Making adjustments to your schedule and going out of your way to accommodate and do favors for others only to have them cancel on you at the last minute or throw it back in your face is going to make you like not to do it again. Really, no one can blame you for that—well, except that same disgruntled and entitled friend or family member who is coming back around looking for another favor and expecting you to drop everything at a moment's notice for them again. Sure, it's great for parents to ha…

Sisters, can't live with ‘em and—can’t live with ‘em… When it comes to siblings, disagreements, spats, and petty arguments are just part of the bargain, and even if you grow up to be best of friends, there will be points when you’re growing up where you just want to tear each other's hair out. None of this is helped at all by sibling rivalries, the other complex family dynamics, and the topsy-turvy changes of adolescence. Still, things aren't quite even that simple or straightforward when narci…

There's one thing worse than not getting someone a gift for their birthday or any other situation where gift-giving is an expected social norm, and that's getting them a “gift” that is actually for yourself and serves your own wants and needs. Doing this surpasses the thoughtlessness of not getting a gift and strays into the territory of showing them that you put thought into it and then settled on something for yourself instead.

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…

It's a tricky thing to make someone feel something that they don't feel. And when you're a teen there's so much changing emotionally that it's sometimes hard to make sense of the things you're actually feeling without trying to force it—or having someone gaslighting you and saying that you said something that you never said. When that person is your parent, it makes things a whole lot more complicated; this is the person who is supposed to be showing you the way, and while they probably think t…

Far worse than a cash bar

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…

Money between family and friends is a tricky thing, but giving money to help out can be a huge blessing when times are tough. Still, it's often said in these situations that you should never lend money that you expect to see back, essentially considering it to be a gift. When that money comes from the loss of not one but two close and important family members, it really shouldn't be treated like a bonus that needs to be burned, and it's not an “easy come, easy go” type of situation. That money…

Siblings… Really, what is there that isn't to be said? They can be your best friends, your fiercest competitors, or just the most awful people you've ever had the displeasure of being acquainted with. This 25-year-old woman moved in with her 23-year-old sister, giving up her perfectly good apartment just to move in with her sister when her sister relocated to the city for work. Difficulties began to rise, and trouble brewed when her sister began performing “harmless” pranks. They started small…