Dear Queenie,
My sister, who is in her 30s, got beat up by a bunch of schoolmates when she was in high school and has had mental problems ever since, but our parents won’t do anything about it, like get her into counselling.
She lives with them and they support her and do everything for her. They even make little of how successful I am (I graduated college and have a good job and support myself) because they don’t want to make my sister feel bad.
I feel sorry for her, but I wish they would think about my feelings once in a while.
Queenie, how do I make them understand?—Younger brother
Dear Brother,
You can tell them how you feel, suggest psychological counselling for your sister and hope they will listen to what you say, but beyond that there really is not much you can do.
I hope you have found friends, and possibly a girlfriend or wife, to whom you can turn for the sympathy and support you do not get from your parents.
