Your first focus should always be your family. Having stated that when is it appropriate to set limits and draw lines? The story below is an account of a distressed sibling. The original poster (OP) has a secure job and a married life. As a result, OP and her husband were more than willing to comply and share the load when her younger brother approached her and asked for financial support. Everything was going great at first; the brother had returned the money, and everything was going accordin…

parenting 101

Your first focus should always be your family. Having said that, who do you rank higher on your list of priorities—your spouse or your kids? The daughter of the original poster (OP) is stubborn. At the youthful age of 18, OP's daughter married her high school sweetheart. The two of them had two children together. Sadly, the daughter's first marriage ended, and she moved on to remarry a few years later. Instead of living in the now and appreciating each moment, OP's daughter is obsessed with sta…

What did she expect?

You might be surprised who's in the wrong here

Your priorities should always be centered around your family. Your family is your forever, whether you would like to accept it or not. Your family has been there for you from the moment of your birth until the end of time. How would you respond, though, if you weren't seen as a member of the family but rather as an outsider? The stepfather in the story below is displeased. The original poster (OP) had recently lost his wife. She left three children, ages 22, 25, and 27, behind. It didn't matter…

Have some tact

Having a tree house as a kid meant that you were probably the ruler of the neighborhood. Everyone wanted to be your friend, they all came over to your house to play in the tree house, and it simply made you the most popular kid around. Not that I would know how that feels, I never had a treehouse… or friends, but I can imagine how fun it must be to have both. Being the parent of the kid with the treehouse, well, that might not be as fun. Not only are you responsible for your own kids' safety, c…

It seems like karma always finds its way to those who truly deserve it. Having said that, how would you respond if someone began sharing your phone number to deceive debt collectors? The next story tells the tale of a disgruntled individual. Over the past year, the original poster (OP) has received calls from marketers and debt collectors. The issue, though, is that OP was not the person they were hoping to find. It appears that the person they were looking for leaked OP's number in order to pr…

Having an education is a wonderful luxury. But what would you do if your own parents stole the money intended for your education, thereby depriving you of the chance for a prosperous future? Would you fight to secure what is rightfully yours and go to any extent necessary, or would you quietly accept the circumstance out of fear of upsetting the family dynamic? The story below tells the story of the frustrated daughter. The original poster (OP) got a sizable donation from her great-aunt to assi…

That's not your pool bro

A college degree is considered somewhat of a luxury. Having stated that how far would you go to guarantee that your education is of the highest caliber? The individuals you love the most, will you let them go? An update to a long-since-posted piece can be found below. The original poster (OP) goes into great detail on how her parents broke her trust and deliberately destroyed her future. In order to cover expenses for her older brother's wedding, OP's parents had completely depleted her college…

They thought they had a free meal

Rule number one in adult life – Never risk your credit for someone else. This rule, along with many other rules regarding credit and financial responsibility, is something that every kid should be taught at school. But since very few schools actually teach their students important life lessons, we are here to make up for it by sharing stories that will help anyone learn how to navigate adult life. Going back to the credit point, it is crucial that people will understand that they should not ris…

They think they deserve it

Among the most important things to remember are the rules of airplane etiquette. We can't decide if the limited space, the attentive flight attendants, or the restless passengers are to blame. One thing is certain, though: you should never, ever attempt to secure an upgrade at someone else's expense. The story below is an account of a frustrated traveler. The original poster (OP) had bought a ticket from New York to Hawaii. He made sure, well in advance of the holiday, that he would have a seat…