Annie 12.2.10

Dear Annie: For my entire life, my parents have favored my younger sister, “Erin,” their only biological child. (My older brother and I are adopted.)
When I turned 16, my parents told me to get a job. When Erin turned 16, they paid for everything. Erin is now in college and engaged to a guy my parents adore. I dropped out of college, have a job and am engaged to a guy my parents hate.  
When I first started dating “Dwayne,” he had a conflict with my parents, and I took his side. They kicked me out, so I moved in with him. The conflict has been resolved, but my parents won’t forgive me for living “in sin.”  
Dwayne recently lost his job. His parents are helping us with rent, but my parents refuse any assistance, saying they do not support our living together. But apparently it’s OK for Erin and her fiancée to live with my parents. I am told they have separate bedrooms, but my parents spend a lot of time out of town, so who are they fooling?
I am devastated that my parents only care about a piece of paper. They would rather I live on the street than with Dwayne. My fiancée says I should cut off contact because it’s obvious they don’t care about me. Should I? Should I invite them to the wedding? — Devastated and Hurt in Idaho
Dear Devastated: We worry about a fiancée who gets into a major conflict with your parents and encourages you to cut off contact with your family. He may think he is being supportive, but he will not help you reconcile. Please invite your parents to the wedding. They are entitled to their views on cohabitation and may relax once things are legal. As for their favoritism, this is something you should discuss with them, preferably with a neutral third party who can make them understand how unfair and hurtful it is.
Dear Annie: My husband and I have been together for 18 years. He has two married children and four grandchildren. I have one married daughter and two grandchildren.
My husband is planning to take his children and grandchildren to Disney World next year and wants me to come, but refuses to include my daughter and her family. He says he can’t take everyone. I told him to go without me.  
I cannot tell my daughter and grandchildren that we are taking his family and not mine. She would be so hurt. What do you think? — Beside Myself
Dear Beside: Is this about the money or the crowd? Your husband cannot be expected to pay for more people than he can afford. If you have money of your own, contribute toward your daughter’s share. If it’s the size of the crowd, perhaps your husband would be willing to do a second trip another time. Although, frankly, it’s less expensive to do it all at once. And you can all wear matching T-shirts so you are easier to spot.
Dear Annie: Your reply to “Mike in Alabama” was lame. He was the 26-year-old who woke up while being pawed at by his 45-year-old neighbor on a fishing trip. He asked how to handle it due to his wife’s friendship with the neighbor’s wife, “Sophie.” You said to pretend it never happened and gradually pull away.
Why in the world should Mike ever be subjected to the lecherous creep next door? He should avoid him like the plague and, if Sophie questions it, tell her to ask her husband. — Indiana Common Sense
Dear Indiana: We treated this as we would a man who made a pass at his neighbor’s wife: Politely keep your distance, and let him know that if it happens again, you’ll inform his spouse. We weren’t suggesting that Mike continue to socialize with the neighbors, only that he not make it more difficult for his wife, who wishes to maintain a friendship with Sophie.
Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. To find out more about Annie’s Mailbox and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

Published in The Messenger 12.2.10

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