Dear Abby: I have deep relationships with my grandchildren and their parents. My 12 year old grandson won’t eat anything but fast food and refuses everything else. His parents allow it and he also has food delivered. His 8-year-old sister is watching closely and is starting to head in the same direction. What they do at home is another thing, but when they visit, especially for 3 or 4 days, it’s a problem for me. help! — Frustrated Chef
Dear Cook: Have the child’s parents ever considered that their son may have an eating disorder? If not, it may be time to discuss his eating habits with his pediatrician. Some children are spoiled and need care, while others require medical or psychological intervention. This will be a problem when the grandchild comes to visit, so instead of wasting food that the grandchild won’t eat, ask the parents to send the food.
Dear Abby: I’m 4’11” tall and wear size 5 shoes. Yesterday, my girlfriend’s husband and I went to a department store and bought his slippers that were on sale. The slippers were kept in the area where socks are sold (not in the shoe department), so there were no chairs to sit on to try them on like in the shoe department. (He has balance problems.)
Then I went to check out my shoes in the shoe section. The shelves were so high that I couldn’t reach the boxes, much less see what was inside. This has happened to me several times as well. Short people wear smaller size shoes. And, as you might have guessed, the largest size was at the bottom. Shoppers who wear plus sizes don’t like having to go down to the floor to get their shoes. Does anyone have an idea? It’s just common sense. What do you say? — Little Girl from Pennsylvania
Dear Gal: Speaking as another short person (5’2 1/2” and short), I feel your pain and agree with your logic. What I want to say is: If you talk to your store manager about this, he or she may reconsider how you display your shoes. It’s worth a try.
Dear Abby: On his last day, my stepfather asked me not to tell my siblings, mother (his ex), or other family members about his cancer. I struggled with it for months. After his death, my family found out that I had known but hadn’t told him, and they blamed me for not telling them. I said I didn’t want them to know. They said he didn’t mean it. (Oh, yes, he is did!)
The problem with them is that they are full of drama, which is why even I don’t usually deal with them. They called me names but I just did what he specifically asked me to do. How should I deal with this? — Sad Stepson of Washington
Dear stepson: Your siblings seem to be blaming you for not being as close to your stepfather as you thought they were. I think I rarely see it. If you must meet and the topic comes up, repeat the following mantra. If he wanted you to know that information, he would have told you so. ” (And that includes your mother.)
Dear Abby was written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at DearAbby.com or PO Box 69440 (Los Angeles, CA 90069).
