DEAR ABBY: I must comment in regard to the letter from "Hell on the Home Front" -- the Florida mother whose young daughter had returned to the nest.
For one thing, being out on her own has to be hell on the 18-year-old. She is fresh out of high school with no experience or realization of what life is about or the responsibilities entailed. I am 28 years old, and being on my own is no easy task.
The daughter may be crying out for guidance and companionship. Instead, her mother is looking at her daughter as a burden and distraction -- and even a destroyer of her marriage. That mother should take the time to speak with her daughter instead of telling her what to do or acting as if she were 18 years old herself. Obviously, they did not get along in the first place.
Older teen-agers (or should we call them young adults?) need their self-esteem and confidence bolstered. They do not need to be pushed out the door. Please sign me ... HAPPY TO HAVE HAD A MOTHER WHO SAT AND TALKED TO ME IN L.A.
DEAR HAPPY: I agree with you that there are fences that need mending in the household. The daughter may be immature and cannot be expected to know what she hasn't been taught.