DEAR ABBY: I am a 19-year-old woman who, against my parent's wishes, was recently married. They didn't attend my wedding and told me they would disown me if I got pregnant before I was 24 or so.
Well, three weeks after we were married I became pregnant. I'm now a month along and my husband's family knows all about it. How do I tell my family? They're already mad at me for dropping out of college and refusing to pay them back for what they agreed to pay for, and I'm afraid this will terminate any relationship we have.
I don't know what to do. Any advice you could give me would be helpful. -- SCARED TO SPEAK UP
DEAR SCARED: Waste no time in telling your mother the joyous news that she'll be a grandmother by the end of next summer. Since your in-laws already know the big news, and your pregnancy will be showing in no time, attempting to keep it a secret would be like trying to smuggle dawn past a rooster.
You are an adult now, and it's time you began shouldering responsibility for your actions. Your parents' disappointment in you might be lessened if you show the willingness and maturity to work out a payment plan for the money they feel is owed them.
P.S. I'm betting they won't disown you after all.