Dear LFTP: single mother working two to three jobs
- Has a single mother working two to three jobs made a mistake by working so much that her young son has grown distant?
A host reads a Dear LFTP letter from a 29-year-old single mother: her ex chose partying over fatherhood, custody was hard-won, she works two or three jobs, and her six-year-old has stopped calling her 'mommy.' The hosts say her feelings are real, put shame on the absent father, and advise extreme measures to reclaim time — a smaller apartment, moving in with parents, sharing expenses with another single mom — because presence outweighs provision. A host reads the 'Secular' answer advising her to research child support and firmly reassert the 'mommy' title; the hosts push back that the child is expressing displeasure at the situation and a heavy hand may misread it.
More on Family
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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
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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
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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
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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.