Dear Annie: My older brother, “James,” has always been the golden child in our family. I’ve made peace with that over the years. But recently, he asked me to be the legal guardian of his two kids “just in case something ever happens.” I was caught off guard because we’re not that close, and he knows I don’t want children of my own. I asked why he wouldn’t ask one of his close friends or even his wife’s sister, and he said he “wouldn’t trust anyone else.”

On the one hand, I’m honored that he sees me as responsible and trustworthy. On the other, it feels like he’s asking me to take on a life I never wanted, based more on convenience or guilt than actual closeness. I also worry about how our parents would react if I said no. They’d likely see it as selfish.

How do I say no without creating

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