Friday, March 19, 2010

Dear Prudence, March 18, One-by-one: Grow up!

Letter writer 1 is a college student who was sexually abused as a child. Now the grandson of the abuser has enrolled at his university. Prudie says it's nothing to do with the grandson, and LW needs help.
My take: Well, this does sound tough. Prudie gave good advice, I think. I do wonder what the result of the legal action was if the family seem to know nothing about it. Grandpa deserves to spend the rest of his days in jail, and just how does Gram explain that one?

Video Letter is from a woman whose friend's baby likes to kiss on the lip.
My take: How about this for advice: Grow up! You don't want to kiss baby on the lips? Kiss baby on the cheek. You don't want baby to kiss you on the lips? Turn your cheek to him. Was that so hard? Baby's mother insists? Say no. A good way is "I'd really prefer not to." Think Bartleby.

LW2 is a woman who was having "private time" with her husband when her young son entered the bedroom. Is son traumatized? Prudie says no.
My take: How about this for advice: Grow up! If you have to write "private time" rather than "bonking" or how about... "sex", or even "making love", your delightful kid is going to have problems. As to your letter, what Prudie said.

LW3 has moved in with boyfriend whose mother is too present in his life, doing his laundry, making his dentist appointments, etc. Prudie says to dump him.
My take: How about this for advice: Grow up! If fiancé doesn't see an issue, and you persist in seeing one, then DTMLA (that would be "dump the mother-lover already). It sounds to me, however, that you've got some issues. Do you want him to be autonomous, or do you want to be doing the mothering? (I would not mind having someone make my dentist appointments and hold my hand in the waiting room. If someone was making my dentist appointments for me, I would see the dentist a lot more often. And volunteers for laundry duty are welcome to report. I might actually wear some ironed clothing once in a while.)

LW4 has been invited to the wedding of the doctor who works on the same floor as her. How should she respond?
My take: How about this for advice: Grow up! You don't want to go to this stranger's wedding? Decline the invitation when it comes.

1 comment:

Kati said...

Who knew misanthropes could give such good advice?!