Dear Therapist: I’m the Golden Child, and My Siblings Resent Me for It
Editor’s Note: On the last Monday of each month, Lori Gottlieb answers a reader’s question about a problem, big or small. Have a question? Email her at dear.therapist@theatlantic.com.
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Dear Therapist,
My beloved dad died four months ago, leaving me to settle his estate and manage my mom’s affairs. I had no idea what went into closing an estate. Dad had asked me to take on this role more than a decade ago, so getting it wasn’t a surprise—the surprise was its breadth and challenges.
Despite the rigors of this chapter—in addition to my grief over losing my 87-year-old dad—I’ve found it healing to honor the requests he laid out. His primary goal was to take good care of my 84-year-old mom, to whom he was married for 64 years, and to whom I’ve never been close. I’m her middle child and oldest daughter, and she’s told me several times throughout my
