When a parent remarries, we think a common mistake their partners make is that a warm and welcoming seat within the family is expected, rather than earned.

When someone expects children of divorce to run into the arms of their 'new mom or dad' before they even know their last names, a pile of complication and challenges always seem to arise. This is very understandable, many children struggle with the idea of picturing their parents with someone else, either in an unrealistic wish for their parents to reunite, or the sympathy they feel for the parent who's been 'left behind'.

Whether the divorce was messy or your parents remain co-parenting besties, there are many milestones throughout their lives that require their parents to be under the same roof or seated at the table. And all that is wished for is comfortable and civil interactions to ensure the milestones remain the center of celebration and attention.

Relationships are a two-way street. Any healthy relationship involves being able to rely on one another when things get hard. Over time, you learn how to work through things like emotional hardships, communication differences, or financial stressors. Love is a give and take, but some people just take and take. If you've had the misfortune of dealing with a freeloading partner, you might relate to this next Reddit story. 

Here, we have a young couple who live together. When money gets tight, the boyfriend sells his scooter to his girlfriend for $200 and agrees to buy it back from her when his finances are more secure. Well, that time comes, and he starts using the scooter again to get to work but refuses to pay his girlfriend back for it. This leaves her scrambling to figure out her transportation for her college courses and wondering why her boyfriend isn't acting like much of a boyfriend. 

Being kind pays off, but some people simply refuse to treat strangers with dignity. Folks will argue that there is no benefit to being kind "just because," but I couldn't disagree more. I mean, if you're just looking for literal immediate benefits, then maybe you're right. You can be kind and get no tangible value from it — it's not like you do a good deed and the universe drops a crisp $100 bill at your feet. But it's good for the soul to be kind when you can, and possibly even good karma, if you believe in that. It makes you a better person for free, no self-help books needed! This can be as easy as giving someone directions, being friendly to a cashier who looks sad, or offering a seat to someone who needs it. 

This woman was trying to police the people who sit in bus seats, and it did not go well for her. On one hand, I understand how infuriating it may seem to get on a crowded bus and not be offered a seat while a big group of teens in the seats watching YouTube videos at top volume. Annoying! But you can't just demand someone give you a seat for no reason… and if you do, you might just get humbled in front of an entire bus full of other riders. 

Next, read about some mildly infuriating family moments, like one person whose family tried to be helpful, but instead, "cut up my diploma."