DEAR ABBY: I have an incredible career and was recently promoted to a position that requires frequent travel, which I love. Part of my job involves providing educational programming.
I invited my sister to help me with a couple of training sessions, and I covered the cost of her travel and meals.
Now she expects to travel with me on every trip. She has booked her own flights on two other trips already this year.
I have a hard time telling my sister no, but at the same time, I'm working when I am on these trips. I have meetings and events that I cannot include her in. She says she wants to learn "everything" about what I do so she can do it, too.
Abby, I worked more than 25 years to get to this point in my career. I would love for her to be in the same field, but she has never worked in it and doesn't always know how to talk to people. She jokes and makes inappropriate comments that leave me embarrassed and angry. How do I tell her I can't keep having her along for the ride? -- WOEFUL ROAD WARRIOR IN OHIO
DEAR ROAD WARRIOR: By stiffening your backbone, informing your sister what it was she has said -- and to whom -- that made you feel embarrassed and angry, and telling her that from now on you will be flying solo. The last thing you need at this point in your career is for her behavior to reflect on your performance. And it could.