My Family Drives Me Nuts - READER SUBMISSION

I hate the holidays.  Every year it seems like my sisters and inlaws come out to bug me for free services.  I am NOT here to offer free nails for my husband's sister when she is in town.   Why is it that I always have to either be sweet and nice and give in, or the bitch sister in law who didn’t offer free services.  I’ve only been doing nails a few years, but it seems to get worse and worse each year.

Last year my sister…. lets just call her “Pam”... came over at Thanksgiving and had nicely asked if I would polish her nails. I said “sure, thats fine”.  When she got to my salon and I offered her the polish colors she looked at me like my head was cut off and asked if these were the ones that stay on a long time, “the gel kind”?  I told her as politely as I could that “no, she had asked for polish”.  She argued with me asking why I couldn’t just do the gel.  I gave in and started to prepare her nails for gel…. making what was supposed to be a 10 minute quick polish into an hour full gel manicure.  I figured it was fine, all over, no problem, I can be nice and give her a free gel manicure.  Not so fast.  That weekend we were at our moms house for thanksgiving, and yes, you guessed it!!  My other sister AND mommy dearest started in on me about coming to the salon to get their gel manicures too!

Its hard to say no, I’m a giver, it's the southern girl in me. But I’m just so sick of feeling like I’m taken advantage of by the women in my family.  This year, I vow to be tougher.  To stand up to them and say “you want a service? make an appointment!”  I just hope I can get the courage to do it before they start on me about what color they want this year.

Signed…My Family Drives Me Nuts