Family. Too bad you can't pick them.

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My niece, who is all grown up now, told me once that I should have came and "saved" her from her "horrible" childhood. First let me clarify that she was not abused as a child. Life may not have been perfect for her, but was a far cry from as horrific as she makes it out to have been. Even her sisters, who had it worse than her, have told her this. Now that she is older, she is making mistake after mistake and sliding further and further down the slope towards the great pit of despair. Basically, she is fast tracking her parents' life. Being the loving aunt that I am, and recalling the conversation where she told me I should have came and "saved" her, I have tried to tell her time and time again to stop when she starts on the wrong path. And I am not the only one who tries to stop her. It seems that as soon as someone tells her to stop - she runs full speed ahead and ends up face first into a whole pile of... Well I have had just about enough of it. I am at the point where I just don't care what she does. If she wants to ruin her life before she's 25, so be it. However, she has a baby. Now how do I know that she isn't sitting there right now thinking, 'gee I wish my auntie would come and "save" my baby.'? Do I need to continue to care about her or should I just cut all ties? I sometimes wish a person could trade in family members who are just plain defective, it would make life so much easier.