Ahoy there, concerned parent! I hear that you’ve been invited to a fancy-schmancy international celebration, but the thought of dealing with long flights, expensive travel plans, and wrangling your disabled adult child has got you feeling a little overwhelmed. No worries, mate! Politely declining the RSVP is always an option – after all, the state-wide celebrations are always a hit, right? If you do decide to respond, just thank your family for the invite, express your excitement for the event, and gracefully decline due to the complications of travel. Easy-peasy!

Yo Amy, I love your advice! Here’s another one for ya… A reader’s husband is giving a big ol’ thumbs-down to their son’s mother-in-law (let’s call her June), and refuses to show up to any family functions if she’s invited. Talk about awkward! But the reader is trying to keep the peace and not hurt anyone’s feelings. Here’s the thing, Sad in Florida: you don’t have to choose between your hubby and your family. Let the man do his own thing, and you enjoy yourself. If your son wants to know why his dad isn’t showing up, just say, “Hey, don’t look at me, ask him.” Problem solved.

Ah, the age-old question of whether to lend or not to lend money to family – this time it’s a devoted aunt who’s been asked to help with a home down payment. Good on you, Amy, for suggesting setting it up as a loan (cuz, let’s be real, that niece needs a healthy dose of gratitude). But hold your horses – this could actually affect the niece’s ability to get the rest of the loan from the bank. They may need a signed statement from Auntie saying that the money is a gift, or else they’ll see it as a loan and factor that into their approval. Yikes! Better do some research before making it rain.

Serious News: washingtonpost