My family decided in November on not buying Christmas gifts this year as we are all adults and have what we need anyway. I get paid once a month and right now am living cheque to cheque. So I spent the money I had saved up on extra credit payments. Now they've changed their minds and all want gifts. I have 25 dollars to last me til the 30th. How do I get through this holiday without being as bitter as I am now? And not feel like a loser for no one having a gift? [more inside]
posted by beautifulcheese on Dec 12, 2009 - 27 answers

How often do people change their minds about starting a family? [more inside]
posted by lilyflower on Nov 24, 2009 - 24 answers

My boyfriend's mother keeps trying to rename me and I find it offensive, what should I do? [more inside]
posted by Xianny on Nov 18, 2009 - 76 answers

How can I handle my feelings for my parents during this holiday season? [more inside]
posted by bananaskin on Nov 1, 2009 - 32 answers

How do I cope with my angry teenage daughter? After an somewhat nonsensical rant about how hard her life is (I wanted to chat with her about applying to colleges and how the process was going), she dropped the bomb that she doesn't trust me and therefore doesn't have to talk to me. [more inside]
posted by dzaz on Oct 18, 2009 - 39 answers

It's Sunday morning. My wife is surfing the Net. My 14-year-old stepson is playing World of Warcraft. My 5-year-old mildly autistic daughter is watching Cinderella. This works, sort of. But it doesn't feel like being a family. [more inside]
posted by musofire on Oct 18, 2009 - 56 answers

How can I get my mom to go to her colonoscopy? [more inside]
posted by Marky on Oct 11, 2009 - 17 answers

My mother's grief is overwhelming me. How do I keep my cool? [more inside]
posted by Monsters on Sep 5, 2009 - 25 answers

How do I be an ally to the conversationally overpowered? [more inside]
posted by baxter_ilion on Aug 16, 2009 - 12 answers

My husband is a 1L at a top-ten school, and we have a 16-month-old daughter. I'm a former librarian staying at home for now, taking a couple of classes in the fall. Finals are next week, and he wants me to take care of our daughter full time or take her away altogether. Is this reasonable? Am I being selfish for asking him to help me out an hour a day? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Aug 14, 2009 - 122 answers

My grandmother died this morning. I'm going home to help out the family, but I would like to make a list of things I might not remember before I leave so that we don't forget anything. [more inside]
posted by Unicorn on the cob on Aug 12, 2009 - 23 answers

How to deal with a bullying uncle who hates liberals. [more inside]
posted by samsaunt on Jul 23, 2009 - 58 answers

I'm taking my 8 year old son and 10 year old daughter on a spontaneous road trip through New York City, Upstate New York and New England next week. Any suggestions?
posted by mjmcport on Jun 23, 2009 - 17 answers

Working in Family Business. What would you consider that "line" where you are no longer dealing with a family member but a co-worker, boss, etc.. [more inside]
posted by Gravitus on Jun 13, 2009 - 5 answers

My white nephew hangs out with Neo-Nazis. My kids are black. Help me deal with this family mess. [more inside]
posted by bluedaisy on May 18, 2009 - 57 answers

I'm from a South Asian culture and made the mistake of allowing my parents to start looking for a girl for me. How do I get out of this? [more inside]
posted by reenum on Feb 24, 2009 - 16 answers

I want to read fictional and/or true stories about people being put into positions of responsibility unexpectedly for extended periods of time and how they deal with it. [more inside]
posted by reenum on Jan 27, 2009 - 37 answers

FamilyFilter: My family’s problems over the past 20+ years culminated into one huge fight over Christmas. I need to know where to go from here. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Dec 29, 2008 - 20 answers

Wedding drama.. how do I cope with the aftermath of things said? [more inside]
posted by bleuberry on Dec 15, 2008 - 54 answers

Help me find a new board game to gift my family of sore winners. [more inside]
posted by olinerd on Dec 1, 2008 - 55 answers

I'm nervous about spending Thanksgiving weekend with my boyfriend's Midwestern family out-of-state in Indiana. They're flying both of us out for Thursday-Sunday, and I want to be sure to make a good impression. Advice? [more inside]
posted by booknerd on Nov 10, 2008 - 54 answers

How do I help my mother deal with my sibling's alcohol use? [more inside]
posted by non sum qualis eram on Oct 26, 2008 - 17 answers

My girlfriend is in South America for the next few months. She is living in a house that is owned by her uncle who works for the Catholic Church. He has a wonderful HDTV and a PS3 sitting in his house but no games. Now he isn't there that often but her 14 year old cousin lives next door. What PS3 games would be appropriate for my girlfriend and her 14 year old female cousin that wouldn't create a potentially awkward scene if her Catholic Priest uncle found them? [more inside]
posted by aburd on Oct 11, 2008 - 18 answers

Should I take the job or hope I get another offer? [more inside]
posted by PinkButterfly on Aug 22, 2008 - 14 answers

Working with my father is a nightmare. Should I quit? How do I deal with the repercussions? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jun 5, 2008 - 47 answers

Looking for gift ideas for A Single Guy, with essentially no other information. What to get my dad's wife's son for the gift exchange? [more inside]
posted by booknerd on Dec 21, 2007 - 30 answers

My two stepsisters each recently gave birth. Should I get either of them a gift? It gets a little complicated. [more inside]
posted by drycleanonly on Apr 22, 2007 - 18 answers

Help me with a family member who wants me to help her because of the word of a psychic! [more inside]
posted by andraste on Jun 26, 2006 - 23 answers

I'm going to be visiting my in-laws this weekend, in part to treat their ailing computer, which sounds to be suffering from a myriad of malware. I want to make sure I have the complete set of tools I need. More details inside. [more inside]
posted by monju_bosatsu on Aug 20, 2004 - 9 answers