And at the risk of hurting your feelings I want to suggest you stop focusing on Brad — making the cruise about how miserable Brad will make you — and focus instead on what you can do to make this the best possible experience for your parents, Debbie, and the four cousins.
Author: Dr. Karen Rancourt
Karen L. Rancourt, Ph.D., has over 50 years of varied experience. She began her career an elementary school teacher, went on to become a college professor, management consultant to Fortune 100 companies, career coach, and author of six books and a dozens of articles. Dr. Rancourt has helped thousands of parents, professionals and grandparents make important relationship decisions.
Readers’ Follow-Up Comments
Several readers responded to my 2/16/12 column, How to Tell My Children Their Grandmother Has Cancer. After dealing with the situation for several weeks, Laurie, the mom who initially sent in the situation, shared her experiences and commented on the “Guidelines for Telling Your Child That a Family Member Has a Serious Disease or Illness” that […]
Grandmother’s Hurtful Behavior Towards Grandson
I am in desperate need of some sound advice as some issues between my 12-year-old son, Davey, and my mother have come up. Of my three children, she’s always favored him, felt a bond with him. Some background: My mom’s behavior has always been very on and off. In years past I would leave home […]
My Mother-in-Law is a Liar
My husband and I have had it with his mother, Norma. She is a liar, claiming she doesn’t smoke anymore, but we can smell smoke on both her and Bethany, our one-year-old daughter, after they’ve been together. Also, there have been times when we come home to open windows and whiffs of cigarette smoke in […]
My Son’s Inheritance Is at Risk
When I was in my teens, I was wild and out of control. I got pregnant and decided to raise my son Robert on my own. (His biological father is not and will not ever be a part of his life.) When Robert was a few months old, I meet Steve, a truly wonderful, decent […]
My Grandson’s Mother is a Poor Role Model
My grandson Robb is five. My son, Ed, and Robb’s mother, Barbara, never married. Ed has a history of addiction problems and claims he can’t take care of Robb full time, so Robb lives with Barbara during the week and with me and Ed on weekends in my house. I lost my husband a few […]
Grandmother Doesn’t Want to Baby Sit
A while back you did a column about a young couple that didn’t want the grandmother to baby sit for their daughter any longer (11/9/11: “I Don’t Want My Mother-in-Law to Baby Sit”). I wish! I babysit for my two granddaughters, and I don’t want to do it any longer. You’ll probably say, “So then, […]
Readers Respond to My Granddaughter’s Secret
I received many comments on my column, “My Granddaughter’s Secret,” (posted 1/19/12). One reader began her response with, “Well – this is really a hot topic!” I think what makes it hot is that it has several threads to it: the whole idea of secrets; the topic of religion as the source of the secret; […]