Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. Having friends is a crucial part of living a happy and healthy life. If you only have your partner and kids, it can feel isolating. We all need a breather from our bubble of family and work, and friends are the perfect escapism to mitigate life’s banalities. But what makes someone a good friend? What qualities encompass that person who’s always there for you, who has your back, who you can be transparent with, but also have fun with. It takes t…

Welcome back ladies and gents of the internet. The word ‘responsibility’ has a different ring as a parent. Your responsibility to your child cannot be compared to anything else. If you let someone else watch your kid, you have to know that what happens is out of your hands, and that if you don’t meet them at the promises you made, you could be disappointed in the end. This brings us to the Reddit thread. In this thread, the original poster (OP) is a man who’s agreed to be his nephew’s babysitte…

"This wasn’t just a betrayal; it was a violation of trust."

There's a difference between 'family helps family' and 'family is entitled to your money.'

Welcome, internet-lurking ladies. Hosting dinners and events is an art form. Even small gatherings take a lot of effort and careful planning; buying groceries, cooking a meal, and dealing with cleanup is only the tip of the iceberg. Good hosts must also find a suitable night for all guests, tidy the home and rearrange furniture, and ensure everyone's safety for a great dining experience. Unfortunately, in our story today, our protagonist's mother decides to actively ignore the last point, putti…

Everyone's favorite holiday

Welcome back CheezCake folks. Marriage is a constant tugging and thrusting on the tether between you and your husband. This oscillation can be enervating, but those sacred words “I do” don’t seem to care about your struggles. “Through thick and thin” and through arguments, disagreements, and exacerbated conversations that seem to go in circles. It’s true that it’s all part of the marriage agreement, and communication and calmness will come in handy when things get too heated. It’s always wise t…

We all know that feeling when you know you're going on vacation soon and count down the days until you finally get to relax. We also know how crucial it is for your mental health that the vacation will give you exactly what you need—some peace and quiet. My husband and I, for example, are going on vacation in exactly 13 days, 10 hours, and… 22 minutes, and every single thought I have that is unrelated to work, is dedicated to this trip and everything about it. That is why my heart goes out to t…

Did she accidentally stumble into an episode of The Handmaid's Tale?

Betrayal is a sting that even the thick-skinned and strong-willed can still get scathed by. When you marry someone, you expect to have your fair share of arguments, disagreements, and fights. You can anticipate hard times, but no one anticipates having their heart broken by the sundering of loyalty. It’s a different kind of pain, a pain that meditates in your heart and soul for longer than anyone ever wants to admit. Betrayal also wears many faces; it could be infidelity, lying, or simply hidin…

Teenage years have a glaring juxtaposition; on one hand, you’re still not seen as legal adults, and you’re taken care of financially and logistically by your parents. But on another hand, you’re under their reign, their influence, and their control. It feels like a life so far away now, but the teenage years, although frought with carefree, playful times with friends, are also burdened by the memory of being forced to do your parent’s biddings…chores, errands, carpools, it seems like a worse ve…

"She has a fit, demands to bring him, going as far to tell my friends at my bachelorette she was just going to show up with him regardless..."

She found the listings online...

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. In parent-child relationships, there should be nothing transactional about the dynamic. When one chooses to have a child, they’re choosing to selflessly sacrifice someone’s needs before their own, or at least that’s how it should be. This isn’t always the case, and many parents have children to fulfill something else entirely. Maybe they just figured everyone else was doing it, maybe they wanted to get a similar love and support back for their…

He was like family...

It’s never easy to watch your parents get divorced. The legal disputes and separate houses can embitter a child with resentment that lasts their entire life. Divorce should be done with tact and empathy for the child’s needs. Split families can result in splitting relationships and growing favoritism, either by the child or the parent. How would you feel if your sibling was being taken on a luxurious vacation by your mother, but you weren't invited? In this Reddit thread, the original poster (O…