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Responses from Other Readers
 

"Depends on what it is. If it is something that you think is a problem that you can help with, then I would tend to step in. If it is just a personal item or issue, you should respect the confidence."

"Good advice Jim but the sister doesn't want to help. She told her sisters son what the mom said knowing it could possibly ruin the relationship between mom and son.The sister has a mean spirit and no sense of what family means. Mom should tell her she can't be trusted and act accordingly. Mom should tell the son she needed advice to help him out of love but asked the one person that doesn't respect privacy. Mom should gage her help depending on the son's age. "

"Well i’d talk to my son asap, damage control and apologize for broaching such a personal subject with my insensitive jackass of a sister whom I would certainly never speak to again. Lord knows with relatives like that one sure needs friends. In real life though, I cannot imagine putting the confidence of my own child behind the gossip value of a sister. I can’t even contemplate an excuse or reason for talking to a sibling (especially such a bad one) about one’s own child. Talk about ripping up your parent card! If my relationship with my son were permanently altered I would attempt to accept it as graciously as possible since the loss was so obviously my own doing. Such horrible disloyalty is sure to ruin a relationship whether the sister speaks to the child or not."

"While I can understand why the person who confided in the sister would be upset, it might help to ask why she shared this confidence with her nephew. No matter the reason, though, this was shared in confidence and because this trust was broken, I would think twice before doing so again."