Dear LFTP: the macabre Halloween yard
- What can we do about a neighbor's vulgar Halloween display that scares the children who walk past?
A letter from 'Spooked in Topeka' asks what to do about a neighbor whose increasingly macabre Halloween display (bodies hanging from trees, RIP gravestones) scares children, and whether to take up a collection to bribe him to stop. The hosts mock the bribe idea as rewarding the behavior, joke about a Frankenstein-mob zombie crawl joining the display, then land on real advice: Ben suggests having a direct conversation with the neighbor — he may not know he's freaking kids out — and another host agrees the writer is probably the one offended, not the kids, so find out what's actually true before escalating. The 'secular answer' advises explaining to children that it's all in fun.
More on Parenting
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Dear LFTP: Champ the untrained dog and holding boundaries with your son
- How do I handle my son bringing his untrained dog Champ on our weekend grandson visits?
Mike reads the second letter: the writer hosts weekend grandson visits where her son Dennis brings Champ, an untrained destructive puppy that runs wild, barks, and digs.
From No. 586 · Nothing Personal
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Dear LFTP: wife mocks husband's bladder problem in public
- How should I respond when my wife mocks me and my bladder problem in public?
Mike reads a letter from a man married three years whose wife calls him vulgar names in public and makes his bladder-control problem into comedy.
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Dear LFTP: the birthday invitations
- Should parents be allowed to send birthday invitations to school when only select students are invited?
Mike reads the second letter: the parent of a special-needs pre-K child saw a Facebook group post exposing that her daughter was excluded from a birthday party.
From No. 574 · Starring Ted Danson as Joab
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Dear LFTP: Cindy's baby name ideas
- What should I do about my friend's terrible baby name choices?
Mike reads a letter from Dave about his longtime friend Cindy, six months pregnant, who keeps proposing names like chlamydia, bidet, chalet, and cliche because they sound pretty regardless of meaning.