Family isn’t a free pass to take other people’s belongings.

Many may argue that one of the benefits of having a decent relationship with your relatives is that you can share things with one another. You can get hand-me-downs, enjoy somebody’s good cooking, and be the recipient of a free babysitting shift. In an ideal world, these are the kinds of bonds that involve an equal give and take—and the family member has to be willing to give before any taking happens. 

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there who have no problem with helping themselves to somebody’s time, money, or belongings just because they happen to be family. It goes without saying that the majority are not going to be happy about this unless they have given permission first. Those who tend towards entitled or unhinged behavior have a tendency to let it out even more with those they are related to, and they often are not pleased if they have to face any consequences for it. They are the kind of family member who everybody can identify as an issue, but there is likely to be drama if somebody tries to do anything about it. Still, it is not fair for them to be able to use people and their property without facing a consequence.