Joanna Fortune: My adult children left me to do almost everything on Christmas Day

Perhaps in your family, your children always saw you as the nurturing matriarch who cooks for and takes care of everyone, and their perception of your role has not necessarily grown in line with their growing up.

I had the whole family, including grandchildren, over for Christmas Day. It took weeks of planning, and the dinner went like clockwork. However, I was shocked by the little help I got from my children and their partners.

Other than stacking the dishwasher, they left everything up to me, including keeping an eye on their children. I was angry and hurt but didn’t say anything for fear of ruining the day.