Dear LFTP: how to tell 82-year-old Ethel she cannot come to graduation
- How do we kindly tell 82-year-old Ethel she cannot come to the graduation trip?
Mike (speaker-1) reads a letter about an 82-year-old mother-in-law, 'Ethel', who is frail, has not left town in thirty years, and is hypercritical; the couple wants to attend their daughter's far-away college graduation without her. The hosts reject Secular's gentle script about stressful graduations as patronizing ('old people aren't stupid'), advise being direct since she will be critical regardless, and land on taking her anyway if she is healthy enough: 'that's grandma,' forgive her, don't take it personally. The bit ends with the joke of renting her a limo via 'Jim John's back alley taxi service' driven by 'Hoopty Hooptopotamus'.
More on Family
-
Dear LFTP: the mother-in-law moved in
- My mother-in-law moved in seven months ago and it’s been difficult — how can we sort this out?
The last letter comes from a wife whose mother-in-law moved in seven months ago with no boundaries, rising bills, unpaid prescriptions, and open disrespect.
From No. 604 · Rearview Mirror
-
Dear LFTP: the single man and the holiday cliques
- Would it be wrong for the lonely single man to start declining holiday invitations?
The first Dear LFTP letter: a single man, happy with his life and plenty of friends and family, dreads the holidays — at Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings of 15 to 25 people,…
From No. 603 · Found Out
-
Dear LFTP: the grandma, 'Libby,' and the weight comment
- Was I wrong to mention my concern about Libby's weight?
Mike reads the letter: she moved 2,000 miles to be near her daughter's family; granddaughter 'Libby' was diagnosed with a medical condition and put on weight.
From No. 602 · Relationship Counseling
-
Dear LFTP: the Mimi letter ('Call Me Hoopi')
- Is it wrong for a grandmother to be upset when her grandson's other grandmother claims the same nickname?
Mike reads the Dear LFTP letter: a grandmother whose two-year-old grandson calls her Mimi — but the other grandmother claimed Mimi for herself, and the daughter-in-law is annoyed and doesn't want 'mom mom' either.