On this episode: Lucy, Elizabeth and Zak help a listener who’s grappling with whether it’s worth trying to keep up a friendship with a family that is just not reliable. It’s only started recently, but they show up to events and hangouts hours late… if at all… with very scant communication. The flakiness disappoints our listener’s kid, but is this worth cutting out friends?

We’ll also debrief with a round of parenting Triumphs & Fails — including a quick update about the Newcamp family’s trip to Africa.

Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.

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Podcast produced by Maura Currie.

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Care & Feeding: We’re Friends With a Flaky Family