Uh, nice sister you have there, not!
We are all better off in life not being around people that hurt us, stress us, upset us, are a bad influence on us etc etc but humans are curious by nature and women are doubly so. I think it is this curiosity sometimes (fuelled by other obvious things such as attraction, wanting to be loved etc) that makes us perservere with men (and women) in relationships and friendships, when we know damn well, deep inside that we shouldn't bother with this person in the first place.
I am sooo guilty of this and it's a reason why I think, now that I am 40 this year that there really is no point in getting involved with another man now unless he jumps out at me as being extremely compatible, kind and perfect (yeah right!). I keep dating men that are not committed, have baggage, are elusive or secret and have glaringly bloody obvious problems at the start. I just ignore it because I keep thinking 'wow, I feel so much attraction towards this guy and we laugh a lot' and that is it. There is so much more to relationships hun and you need to take a step back and truly analyse what you are doing wrong. Maybe make up a list of the negative character traits of the last few ex boyfriends (like side by side in columns) then you may see some words pop up for each that are common such as 'pessimistic' or ' arrogant' etc. Then you should make a concerted effort in future to avoid those types of men and go for the opposite.
Also, it's time for you to toughen up. Accept that yes, a LOT of people out there have very different values and ways of seeing the world and are just unkind for no damn reason. I cannot, for the life of me get my head around my ex's behaviour and the worse part is that guy is probably thinking somewhere how hard done by he is, how 'people' are cruel to him and how horrible I am to even dare claim child support off him. Go figure.
Always be on your guard, always expect people to let you down (and when they don't it is a nice surprise) and never give too much of your heart away unless you know in your gut that they deserve it. Just protect yourself more if you know you are more sensitive than most.You know you are kind and thoughtful and wouldn't treat people nastily, so bring your kids up with those values and at least you are doing your bit in the world to pass on that kindness, so that the people they then meet in life, are treated kindly.
Big hugs for ya, chin up and your sister and your ex are losing out, not you. Let them behave like idiots.
