DEAR ABBY: I'm the youngest of four sisters. The oldest sister is the only one who has children -- three girls under the age of 12. I'm a high school teacher who works about 60 hours a week during the school year between teaching, grading, attending meetings, completing paperwork, tutoring before and after school, and planning lessons.
My second-oldest sister wants to plan an elaborate road trip this summer that involves renting an RV and driving cross-country with our nieces to visit Disneyland. She feels that since I have the summer off, I should be more than happy to go on this trek.
I love my students and nieces, but by the time summer rolls around, the last thing I want to do is spend a week or more in a camper with kids. I told her I have some summer training to go to, which is true, hoping she would drop the subject. She hasn't. I don't want my sister's or my nieces' feelings to be hurt, but I flat-out don't want to do this. What can I tell them? -- SWEATING IT OUT IN THE SOUTH
DEAR SWEATING IT OUT: Forgive me if this is blasphemy, but Disneyland isn't everyone's cup of tea. That's why it's time to tell your sisters the truth. You deserve a child-free summer break if you want one, and that fact should not be regarded as a personal insult to anyone.