10 Stories of Family Members Who Make Life Impossible

Family is meant to provide love, support, and comfort, yet sometimes those we are closest to can also become the biggest source of stress and frustration. Here are 10 personal stories from our readers, sharing their experiences with challenging family members.

1.

My mother-in-law, always sure she knew best, arrived one day with a mystery meal plan. We didn’t know what was in it, but we ate it anyway. The next morning, on our anniversary of all days, I woke up covered in pimples. Horrified, I screamed at myself in the mirror, realizing I looked awful for the occasion. It turned out her dishes were packed with cheese, which she ignored despite knowing we were lactose intolerant.

Her well-intentioned meal had made us both sick, and it ruined our special day.

2.

I had been planning a small, intimate wedding for months. Just a week before the big day, my cousin, who I hadn’t spoken to in years, showed up uninvited—with a plus-one in tow. As if that wasn’t enough, his ’gift’ was a gigantic inflatable unicorn, which he proudly declared was a ’great conversation starter.’

It wasn’t. The unicorn blocked the view during the ceremony, and by the end of the night, it deflated and collapsed, leaving behind a huge mess. My wedding photos are forever marred by that ridiculous unicorn, and we still haven’t received any sort of explanation.

3.

My sister was always convinced she had every illness imaginable, constantly self-diagnosing with the help of the internet. One day, she called me in a panic, convinced she was having a heart attack. It turned out she had simply eaten too many spicy chips and was experiencing heartburn. After a glass of milk and plenty of laughter, she finally admitted that maybe WebMD wasn’t the most reliable source for medical advice.

4.

My dad had an obsession with finding bargains, often buying items in bulk just because they were on sale. One day, he came home proudly boasting about his latest find—100 cans of tuna, which he called a ’steal.’ The only problem? No one in the family liked tuna.

For the next month, we found ourselves creatively sneaking tuna into every meal, until we finally begged him to stop. He laughed and promised no more bulk purchases—until he stumbled upon a deal for 50 jars of pickles.

5.

A year ago, my brother-in-law asked for a $5,000 loan, promising to pay it back within six months. Not a single cent has been repaid, and he keeps coming up with excuses. When I finally asked for the money, he told me it was my fault for lending it to him in the first place. To make matters worse, his wife defends him, saying I should have known better.

6.

I’ve had an egg allergy for as long as I can remember, and my mother-in-law, Linda, knows this very well. At our last family gathering, she arrived with a ’special’ cake made just for me. I was touched by the gesture—until the next morning when I woke up with my face covered in painful, red pimples. After retracing my steps, I called Linda, who casually mentioned, ’Oh, I used quail eggs instead. I thought they’d be safe since you’re only allergic to chicken eggs!’

Well, turns out I’m allergic to quail eggs too. Thanks, Linda.

7.

My younger brother lost his job and moved in with me, which I was fine with—at least temporarily. However, he never helped around the house and spent all day playing video games. When I asked him to pitch in or at least contribute to groceries, he insisted that he was ’going through a tough time’ and shouldn’t have to. After several heated discussions, I finally had to set a move-out date to get him back on track.

8.

My mother-in-law had a habit of calling me at 2 a.m., claiming she was having panic attacks and needed to talk. At first, I tried to be patient and understanding, but the calls became relentless, leaving me utterly exhausted. One night, just as I was drifting off to sleep, my phone rang again. It was her, speaking in a panicked whisper about ’strange noises’ and ’someone watching her.’ My heart raced, and I was moments away from calling the authorities when she abruptly ended the call.

A year later, I found out she had been calling nearly every family member at odd hours with similar stories of panic and distress. As it turned out, there were no real panic attacks—she was simply craving attention and creating drama. Once I realized this, I confronted her. While she never admitted to her deception, the calls stopped, and I finally regained my peace. Setting those boundaries was a huge relief.

9.

I had already chosen a name for my unborn child and shared it with my extended family. A few months later, my cousin gave birth and named her baby the exact same name, claiming it was just a coincidence. Now, my choice feels completely tainted, and despite how upset I am, she insists it’s not a big deal.

10.

When I got married, my cousin decided it was the perfect moment to announce her pregnancy—right in the middle of my wedding reception. She made a grand announcement with a toast, completely stealing the spotlight from my husband and me. Suddenly, all the attention shifted to her, with guests offering congratulations and asking about baby names and due dates. I spent the rest of the evening holding back tears, while she basked in the attention that should have been focused on our special day.

We love hearing interesting stories from our readers! If you have a personal experience you’d like to share, feel free to leave it in the comments below—we can’t wait to read it!