life

Granddaughter Worries About Recently-Widowed Grandma

Ask Someone Else's Mom by by Susan Writer
by Susan Writer
Ask Someone Else's Mom | February 21st, 2020

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My grandpa passed late last July. He and my grandma would have been married 60 years this June and Grandpa’s birthday is exactly a week after their anniversary. It’s going to be a rough few weeks for my grandma; I’m thinking rougher than the first holiday season she had to go through without him last year.

What can I do to help my grandmother through what she has to face over the next few weeks? I almost think not making a big deal about the wedding anniversary, birthday, and death anniversary would be better for her --- CONCERNED GRANDDAUGHTER

DEAR CONCERNED GRANDDAUGHTER: I don’t believe ignoring these important events will make your grandmother’s grief any less. Facing these days for the first time without her husband will be tough enough, and perhaps you can work together with other family members or some of your grandmother’s close friends to see if they have any ideas of how to honor your grandfather’s memory and the life he and your grandmother made together. Those who know her best can hopefully suggest ways to comfort and support her on what could be very difficult days ahead.

Family & Parenting
life

Dive Bar Diva's Preference Makes Girls' Night Out a Sketchy Prospect

Ask Someone Else's Mom by by Susan Writer
by Susan Writer
Ask Someone Else's Mom | February 20th, 2020

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My roommate is a self-confessed “dive bar diva.” She is at home at some of the sleaziest places I’ve ever seen, and she is always bugging me to go out with her.

She’s a great roommate and has been getting to be a good friend, but I have to draw the line at going out with her to bars I don’t feel safe in. Does that mean I’m not a very good friend after all? --- NOT A DIVE BAR DIVA

DEAR NOT A DIVE BAR DIVA: Have you made it clear to your roommate that her choice of bars isn’t yours?

Be open with her about your comfort level at her favorite haunts. Maybe it’d be a good idea to find other things to do when you want to go out that you both might enjoy — and that won’t involve bars at all.

Friends & Neighbors
life

Whistleblower Has Neighbor Worried

Ask Someone Else's Mom by by Susan Writer
by Susan Writer
Ask Someone Else's Mom | February 19th, 2020

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: We have a grumpy new neighbor in our block of townhouses who loves to pretend he’s the man in charge. He recently contacted the police about a group of kids riding their bikes in the cul-de-sac near his house, which he claimed was in violation of the county’s stay-at-home order.

Turns out the kids were doing nothing wrong. They were staying on their bikes (all wore helmets), and kept in the street, at proper distances. It’s the same group of kids who usually use the same spot on weekends and when the weather is good enough to ride bikes and skateboards, and with the schools closed for the year, they are around a lot more than usual. We found out about the cops coming to investigate because our daughter was one of the kids.

If he picked on the kids, a few of the other neighbors and I are worried he’s going to report on anything and everything that happens in our neighborhood involving even the smallest groups of people, even now that the restrictions are beginning to lift and we’re allowed more freedom, so long as everyone abides by all the current pandemic regulations.

So far, everyone on the block has done pretty well at keeping in “distant touch”, and I know we should have nothing to fear, but this man is making everyone feel like they’re criminals.

I have no fear of him, and want to say something directly to him about minding his own business, but my husband says it will just make things worse. Do you agree? --- CRANK’S NEIGHBOR

DEAR CRANK’S NEIGHBOR: I tend to agree with your husband. So long as the kids and adults in the neighborhood do indeed comply with your state and local regulations and restrictions, all your self-appointed neighborhood watchman is likely to achieve is to make himself as big a nuisance to the local authorities as he already is with you.

Besides, your confronting him individually could lead to his turning his attention more closely on you and your family.

Friends & Neighbors

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