Polls: Family & Friends

You drive to this destination, stay there for three nights, and back and you get the money you were promised. The catch? They say they don't know what will happen to you. they don't clarify, just ask if you take the deal. They have a company name but they trying to look it up is forbidden, and you shouldn't do it. You have their word about the deal. The promise? They'll be right there on the third day as you see them now. Are you willing to take the chance and believe you'll be all right?

We're worried about my cousin's lack of interest in dating, finding another job (he got fired recently for slow performance), his lack of knowledge in how to pay bills, run a house, etc. It's been years already and it seems like he's stuck in time. Many of his manners and the way he talks about videogames, love, etc sounds like a HS teenager, not a grown 22 year-old man.

The event that's deeply seared within him
He was 16 at the time (his then girlfriend was the same age), it was his first and they were dating for 6 months or so. He had just gotten his very first driver's license (restricted though) at the time. The 3rd time he drove, a drunk driver hit them, injuring him and killing his girlfriend. Though it was said she was briefly alive for a few minutes and died in his arms.

He hasn't been acting his age since. What do you think? Can a normal person's mental growth get stunt so much after a traumatic event? At the time he was acting his age but now he's not.

I feel the need to cut off toxic family members a lot.
In fact, I don't mind being distant from my whole family.
It sounds cold, but I feel like it's almost part of growing up?
There has been so much trauma in my family and I need to heal and separate from them.

Lately I have been wanting to be more independent and often times my mom cries because she misses me. It's endearing and I feel bad she's lonely, but at the same time I feel quite smothered. She always asks what I am doing/what I did while we don't talk and it gets annoying sometimes. I feel guilty sometimes for wanting to be more independent and it doesn't seem right.

My older sister's former tormentors are now her MIL and SIL. They treated her horrible when she and her now husband were in their 1st year of their relationship. Many years ago.

Even though the tormentors apologized and expressed remorse, followed by actions over the years, can a human truly have such a forgiving heart?

I get that she forgive but she also now has a close, great relationship with them. Is that possible, to forgive and forget to the point of really adoring/liking them?

Honestly, I can't say that I ever liked it. I don’t like being put on the spot, even if it's just a few people singing it to me. I think it’s really sweet, but it makes me feel awkward.

My 20th birthday is tomorrow, and I'm
planning to just do something small with my
boyfriend. But next week on mother's day, is
also my dad's birthday, so we will combine
our birthdays. It's just going to be a small
family gathering, but even with family, I don't
like the attention lol. I’m dreading it.

Is anyone else like this? Or do you just love it?

Not me but someone's parents are old-fashioned when it comes to what is discipline.

Sometime in 2020, their then 16 year-old son stole money from his father and used his card to buy an expensive PS5. Prior to that, his father had nicely explained to him about the financial struggle and that he couldn't get him a PS5, that they were saving money. He was still giving tantrums, coming late to the house (even a bit drunk too), backtalking to both of them and the father was being more tolerant than usual. He kept protesting to be treated like an adult.

When the father found out what happened (after he received a call about a fradulent transaction on his act) that was the last straw for him. He grabbed his belt but actually gave him two options.
Option 1:
Give him a fair ass whooping he had coming for the longest and the stolen funds, followed by 2-3 months being grounded and get him to start working so he earns money.
Option 2:
Instead of the spanking treat him like an adult, report him to the cops for theft and he gets jail time, thrown out of the house and possibly a record. Afterall he wanted to be treated as an adult so therefore adult punishment.

He chose the spanking over the jail time and a record. If you were him would you have chosen a spanking or jail time?