I’m engaged. My sister is single and feels ‘behind’. What can I say to that? | Leading questions
· eleanor gordon-smith
AI Briefing
- • Sister feels "behind" due to milestone events, including your engagement and potential future family plans.
- • You've had many conversations about her concerns, but empathy is waning due to unchanged circumstances.
- • Consider re-evaluating your role in managing your sister's emotions and expectations.
Context
A woman is engaged and her sister is single, feeling "behind" in life. The sister has expressed that milestone moments, such as the engagement, trigger her feelings. She has also admitted to worrying about never having kids. The sister has felt this way for a long time, previously getting upset about still living at home and not having the career she wants.
The sister's feelings are affecting her relationship with the engaged woman, who is struggling to maintain empathy. The engaged woman is seeking advice on how to comfort her sister, who wants the things she has or might have soon. Advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith suggests that the response will depend on who is expected to manage the sister's emotions, whether it is the sister herself or an expectation the engaged woman has placed on herself.