Dear LFTP: the diaper-changing sister-in-law
- My sister-in-law changes babies' diapers at family gatherings without asking the parents — what should I do?
After the complaint-line plug (read as the 'Bob Eisenhower' line, (515) 517-0085), the reader reads a Dear LFTP letter: the writer's sister-in-law, called 'Brenda' in the letter, routinely changes other people's babies' diapers at family gatherings without asking the parents, including at the writer's son's baptismal party. One host relates an awkward parallel — being the only adult around a small girl who needed the bathroom at a church function. The verdict: it is weird and inappropriate in this day and age to change a child you weren't asked to change; ask first, because diaper duty and bath time belong to the parents. The Secular answer is read aloud and agrees, calling for a simple boundary.
More on Boundaries
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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: Ralph calls three or four times a week
- How can I get my retired friend Ralph to call less frequently without being rude?
The letter: 'Ralph,' a longtime best friend, retired and is bored, so he calls three or four times a week 'even when there's nothing new to talk about,' rehashing the same things; subtle hints haven't worked; letting it go to voicemail just earns a callback request.
From No. 602 · Relationship Counseling
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Dear LFTP: the senior-living handshake letter, and the close
- How can a senior-living resident politely decline the dining-room manager's handshakes?
Mike reads the second Dear LFTP letter: a senior-living resident whose dining-room manager (Manny) shakes hands at residents' tables, and who dodges with wet or greasy hands — how to decline politely?
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Dear LFTP: the fiance who games until 5AM
- What should the letter-writer do about her fiance's all-night gaming habit?
Mike reads a Dear LFTP letter from a woman engaged five years to Dustin, who games from 10PM to 5AM, skips chores, and gives her no attention; talking has not helped since 'he grew up gaming.'
From No. 598 · Emphasis | Accountability, Worship and Praying with Strangers