My elderly lady friend has a daughter who does spend $200.00 for sneakers. This mom works but has never been married and has three children, each by separate fathers.

My friend is always helping her daughter pay her bills. The daughter is about 42 years old. The fathers never see their children or make child support payments. Each of the three children is involved in 3 or more sports per year.

It is baffling to hear the daughter cry and complain about "her life." Seems she made more than one bad decision. The daughter is really a nice person but I don't feel badly for her situation. If you are strapped for cash have each child chose one sport to play. Buy sneakers at reasonable prices as well as other things they need. This daughter has relied on her mom (my friend) just a little too much. However, I have never advised my friend not to help her daughter. The grandchildren are very good kids and they will be the ones to suffer if mom cannot make the payments on their home. They have lived with my friend in the past which caused a lot of friction with my friend's second husband.

The daughter also has "borrowed" so much money from my friend that there is no way she'll ever be able to repay it.