DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: It started when he was just a little boy and it has become part of his personality, I’m afraid. My son has a terrible track record for following through on any resolutions or goals he makes or sets for himself. He decides he wants to do this or that, like putting money away out of every paycheck, or cutting back on how many times he goes out to the bars with his friends every month.
This year he vowed as his New Year’s Resolution to get on a regular schedule for cleaning his apartment. That lasted two weeks, and when I went to visit him recently, the bathroom was a disgusting mess, and a week’s worth of dishes was stacked in and next to the kitchen sink.
My son needs help sticking to his proposed goals. I’ve done what I can with the advice I’ve given him based on what works for me, but what else can I do to help him? --- NO TENACITY
DEAR NO TENACITY: If your son’s old enough to live in his own apartment and drink legally, then he’s old enough to take responsibility for his successes and failures. It’s understandable that you worry about him, but you’ve already given him what’s probably very sound advice from your personal trial and error experiences.
Now it’s up to him to figure things out for himself, and for you to sit back and let him — as hard as that may be for you to do at times.