What Do You Do If...

What do you do when a sibling has persuaded your mother to give him a table that your mother promised you?

"You can say, 'Mom, I know that Fred just asked you for the table, but don't you remember that you promised it to me at my wedding?' She might really have forgotten. My recommendation is no matter what is promised to you, live as if you were never to receive a dime."
— Samantha von Sperling, president, Polished Social Image Consultants

"Call your brother and say, 'You know, I really wanted that table. If you ever decide you don't want it, please pass it along to me.' Don't bring up the 'Mom promised it to me' business, because that just invites one of those fights where you both regress to your 8-year-old selves. In the end, it's just a table."
— Colleen Rush