Owning a home – and especially restoring one – takes lots of time, care, consideration and, of course, money. When the work is all done, you can look at each and every square inch of your home and reflect on detail you poured your blood, sweat and tears into. Every part of your dwelling was […] More
Survivor’s guilt is a response some people experience when they survive a traumatic event or situation that others did not. It can be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and complicated grief. Survivor’s guilt often finds those who survive assuming culpability for the demise or harm suffered by others, even if they had […] More
Two families come together when a couple is formed. Those unions aren’t always amicable. When a relationship ends, extended family might choose to stay in touch. My Mother maintained a strong bond with my Father’s family after they were divorced. In fact, she saw her in-laws far more often than her ex-husband did. My Father’s […] More
It’s very difficult to say no when a friend or family member asks if they can stay with us, no matter the amount of time. As we’d like to think that they would help us out, just as we are helping them out, should the tables be turned. Of course, when we open our homes […] More
Grief is a neverending process. This pain is especially difficult when it comes to tragedy. When life is extinguished too soon, the pain seems to hit differently. And many loved ones need reminders to cope. But those reminders don’t always help everybody. Case in point… Redditor merk35802 wanted to discuss their experience and get some […] More
An unexpected death in the family is difficult for everyone. Family members can offer each other the support they need, but how much is too much to ask? A young woman dealing with her brother’s death and the mother of his children’s needs turned to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit for feedback. False_Challenge_4226 […] More
When family becomes estranged, reconnecting can be difficult if not impossible. When the estrangement is between a parent and child, it’s especially painful. But when the parent decides to reenter their child’s life, is the child obligated to go along? Do they owe anything to their parent? A woman dealing with her estranged father turned […] More
One should never do someone a favor simply for glory or recognition. That being said, it can be more than a little frustrating when our actions aren’t recognized after we put our own lives aside to help someone out. A simple thank you goes a long way. When our generosity ends up being taken advantage […] More
Wedding etiquette says if the wedding is canceled, gifts have to be returned to the giver. But what if the gift was never given before the wedding was called off? Doesn’t it belong to the person who purchased the gift? A man whose wedding was called off by his fiancée would agree with that, but […] More
There is little that can cause more tension between two betrotheds before their wedding than whether or not to sign a prenuptial agreement. True, if one of them is a person of sizable means, one can’t blame them for wanting to protect their assets should the marriage prove to be anything but “happily ever after”. […] More
As we grow older, and watch our parents age, it becomes natural to want to be there for them, like they were there for us, helping them out however we can. In many cases, this might mean having one or more of your parents move back in with you. No matter how strong a relationship […] More
Moving is a long and arduous process. Even if you have money and things fall into place, the stress is unavoidable. The packing and unpacking never seem to end. Things will always get broken, and there is never enough time to do everything calmly. That’s why some people try to come up with ways to […] More
