Dear LFTP: the grandmother who can no longer lift the toddler
- My mother can no longer lift my 16-month-old and calls me crazy for seeing it as a safety concern — how do I talk to her kindly but firmly?
Mike reads the first Dear LFTP letter: a working mother whose own mother watched her 16-month-old one day a week but now says her back can't handle lifting him, and is pressuring her to 'train him' to climb into his own car seat — calling her crazy for treating it as a safety concern. The hosts agree the concern is valid: a 16-month-old can't be reliably left with a caregiver who can't pick him up in an emergency, and the grandmother seems to be reframing her limitations. Their counsel: find an able-bodied caregiver for the day, keep inviting grandma to visit while someone else is present. Mike reads the Secular answer: you are not crazy, tell her kindly but firmly, and hire the help.
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