Ah, I worded it in a way where it seems like I wanted him to tell his niece that she should just go fall off a cliff and forget about being a mother - that's not what I meant to say. I apologize if it came off that way, but anyways, she still needs to realize that she's not being a good parent, and that if she'd continue doing what she's doing (leaving her children to you to take care of), then she is a bad mother. That goes along with what TnDawg says. Basically, tell her that "you are willing to help her out, but it is her responsibility to raise her child" means that you think she's being a bad mother and she needs to get her act straightened out. ;)