ArcaMax

In fact, when I advised one niece that I was hurt that she didn't return my call (after she said "she'd call me back later”), she explained that younger people just say that and it doesn't really mean that they'll call later.

Additionally, she suggested that I should contact her in advance so she could “block out some time to talk." It seemed I had interrupted her important television viewing. This same niece had a graphic design business. I put in an order, but never received my order because she was "too busy" fulfilling others' orders and she said she "assumed" I would understand.

I have determined that I will no longer put myself out for them. My family members tell me that as the older member of the family, I should look past their behavior. Additionally, they say that young people just don't want to be with older family members.

Your advice?

— Agonized Aunt

Dear Aunt: Yes, it is time for you to back away a little bit.

It is pretty typical for adults at this stage of life to be wrapped up in building their own lives, seeing the needs of others as distractions rather than invitations to connect.

Many people in your nieces’ age group seem to treat talking on the phone as an unwelcome intrusion. Millennials have told me that they sometimes have a kneejerk reaction when they see a call coming in, thinking it is actually rude of people to call them, when they really should send a text. Nobody leaves messages, and voice mail messages are seldom returned.

This does not excuse your nieces’ rudeness toward you.

One way to handle this would be to occasionally text them to say, “Hey, I was thinking about you today; I’m just checking in to see how you’re doing.”

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