Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. When merging two families together, it’s important to maintain tact, meaning that no child feels they’re unappreciated or unequal to the others. It means that each parent does their part as adults to make everyone feel included, and to form bonds with their new step-children. Not everyone has this sensitivity or perspective though. In this Reddit thread, the original poster (OP) is a frustrated father. He’s been married to his wife for years, a…

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. The suffering and grief that accompanies betrayal is insurmountable , and cannot be compared to anything else. It’s not solely a loss, which the normal grieving process can follow. The confusion, disrespect, and denial that blossoms with betrayal take us down a completely different trajectory of understanding, coping, and healing. Betrayal dismantles the reality in which you live in, rather than shaking it. It implodes, giving the victim almost…

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. When you’re young and in love , everything has the air of ease and euphoria surrounding it. Planning date nights, going on long walks together, and meeting each other’s parents can make life seem like a dream. Time goes by, and after years of being in love, you decide to get married. Life is encapsulated in a perfect world that you didn’t know you could exist in. Now take the same scenario and add children to the mix. It doesn’t quite have the…

It’s not a given that we will understand the decisions and motives of our friends and family. Have you ever watched a loved one make a series of appalling decisions, and just facepalm when it all blows up in their face? We all know someone with the worst taste in men and relationships, always trying to expose their red flags before they get hurt, but our suggestions go through one ear and out the other. Or what about our friend who can’t hold down a job, who’s always between one Ponzi scheme or…

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. No one wants to be financially responsible for anyone but themselves. I think it’s fair to say that every family has the spendthrift; the person who lacks rationality and reason when it comes to swiping their credit card. The person who is somehow always poor, yet always going to expensive restaurants to eat, and unnecessarily spending money on little treats throughout the day. The money really does add up, and it shouldn’t be anyone’s responsi…

When it comes to money, inheritance, or owning property, families can become so split that it affects relationships eternally. Materialistic tendencies come out, and everyone wants to get their greedy hands on anything they possibly can. Greed is one of the ugliest sins in my opinion. It’s ensconced in pettiness and immaturity, and isolates the people who have these qualities. It lacks politeness and caring, and sometimes it’s the people who have the most that are the greediest. Aside from gree…

The pain of family favoritism is like a sting of a bee right into your heart, the wound solidifying over time in a way that will remain indelibly in your memories of childhood. To grow up with wistful envy towards a sibling or relative is far from healthy or normal, and ultimately it’s the parent’s job to make sure all the children are loved and respected equally. No one wants to feel like a second-class citizen in the company of the people who are supposed to make them feel the most loved and…

We’re all familiar with the notion that you can’t choose your family. We can’t choose who our mothers are , who our fathers are, or our siblings. We’re stuck with them for life, and it’s something we all have to adjust to. Fortunately or unfortunately, we can’t choose our in-laws either. If your son marries a wily, disrespectful, horrible woman, then what choice do you have? You have to deal with her to some capacity, or you have to cut contact with your own son. This brings us to the Reddit th…

Nobody needs to 'expand their palette' on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is one of the most sacred holidays. From the coziness and warmth, to the delectable dinner items of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, how can you go wrong? This eclectic spread remains a tradition and a staple of American cuisine, and don’t get us started on the leftovers. Although the holiday is a cultural favorite, when families get together, you never know what can happen. When mixing in-laws, there’s bound to be some drama. Take this Reddit piece for example.…

Imagine you’ve planned the trip of your dreams. You and your two best friends have been brainstorming, researching, and looking forward to this trip for two years now, and finally all the loose ends are tied together. You’re more than excited, and you know that you’ve put in the work to see that your vision comes to fruition. Well, your dreams may take a different direction faster than you expected. Some people really do plan impromptu weddings , I know because I’ve been to some. Good luck to t…

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. Boundaries have become a bit of a buzzword these days. It seems like anything someone doesn’t like, they want everyone to tiptoe around their ‘boundaries.’ It’s true that it’s hurtful, disrespectful, and frustrating when someone steps on your boundaries. You feel like you’re not in control, and that someone else dictates aspects of your life that you didn’t want them to have a say in. It’s hard to see someone the same after a situation like thi…

Pregnancy is no walk in the park. It's an endless rollercoaster of hormones, aches, exhaustion, and nausea. Now imagine the struggle of going through it alone, all while trying to work, keep up with household chores, and take care of yourself. This woman was six months pregnant, dealing with all the challenges that come with growing a baby, when her ignorant husband suddenly decided he wasn't sure he was ready to be a dad (it's a little late for that, don't you think?). And, to make things wors…

We do not wish it on anybody, but there is something we have to ask. If you were being cheated on and someone close to you found out, do you wish they had told you or that they kept the information to themselves? Honestly, It would surprise us to find out if anyone out there would have preferred not to know. But we can tell you for sure that if we had that sort of information, we would not hold back. We firmly believe that if someone is living a lie, the person who is supposed to be closest to…

Planning family vacations is never fun, especially when one teen makes it her mission to hate everything the family loves. So when Mom was organizing a Disney trip for her kids and nephew, who’s fighting cancer and has been dreaming of this experience, she wasn’t surprised when her 16-year-old stepdaughter immediately shot down the idea. The stepdaughter has a bit of a pattern—she’ll dismiss any plan that others enjoy, whether it’s a zoo trip or a family meal, just because others are happy. Aft…

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen of the internet. Some people like to get creative with baby names, using names of characters, or making up your own. I once read of a couple who wanted to combine a Greek goddess with a Greek word, and the result was nothing less than horrifying and confusing. Honestly, just name your kids normal names . When someone has too unique of a name, they’re often not taken as seriously in the world. It can be laughable. But at the end of the day, it’s the parent’s dec…