Dear LFTP: the stepdaughter who wants to move in with her boyfriend
- Why is my husband afraid to set boundaries with his 18-year-old daughter who wants to move in with her boyfriend and skip school?
Mike reads the second Dear LFTP letter: a stepmother who finally gained custody of her husband's daughter Amelia at 15, got her on track to graduate, and now at 18 watches her plan to move in with her boyfriend and skip school — while her husband fears pressing the issue will push her away. Ben reframes it as control versus influence: she is 18 and can leave, so parenting shifts from forcing to consistent, predictable boundaries — 'your house is consistent' — with privileges tied to household rules, not anger. Mike reads the Secular answer: focus woman-to-woman on finishing her education rather than the move-out itself. Dan wonders what happened that custody changed at 16 after a homeschooling childhood.
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