Daughter can’t take criticismfromhermom

Dear Abby: Recently, I kindly and lovingly gave my daughter some feedback on how she berates her husband in front ofmy 8-year-old grandson. I told her I didn’t want him to grow up thinking that’s how we treat the people we love. Tomake a long story short, she said that if I wanted to estrangemyself from her, I had succeeded. I remained calmand loving and told her she could use the feedback if it was helpful, or ignore it if it wasn’t. She has now blocked me!

My daughter has had no compunction over the years about informingme about my shortcomings, but went into a rage when I spoke about her behavior. Although it breaks my heart thatmy daughter has cut me out of her life, my real concern is losing contact withmy grandson. Fortunately, my son-in-law is still relayingmessages to him, but what about when I want to visitmy grandson? I have always stayed withmy daughter and her family. — Heartbroken in Another State

Dear Heartbroken: You may have hit the nail on the head, but youmust have also struck a nerve for your daughter to have reacted so strongly. Staying with her may be off the table until she cools off, but visits with your grandsonmay still be possible if her husband can arrange it. Not knowing your son-in-law, I can only guess that itmay be just a matter of time until he tires of your daughter’s verbal abuse and exits the marriage, but if they separate, itmay make access to your grandchild easier for you.

Dear Abby: Several of us lady friends get together periodically over coffee to catch up. We haven’t seen each other since the pandemic began, but I’m thinking of inviting themto my backyard for a socially distanced get-together.

One of them is very political and dominates the conversation with her opinions and observations. Because of it, I’mconsidering not including her. I don’t want to cause hard feelings, but I don’t know what to do — nothave the gathering, lay out ground rules or put up with her political spewing? Your thoughts would be appreciated.

— Missing My Friends in California

Dear Missing: Deal with it by leaving the choice of whether to attend up to this amateur pundit. Keep it alcohol-free and explain that youwant the conversation to be “light” and strictly social, which is why you do not want the subject of politics to bementioned. At all. It will then be up to her to decide which ismore important: her soapbox or somemuch-needed relaxing conversation.

Dear Readers: Tomorrowis Thanksgiving, and no Thanksgiving would be complete without sharing the prayer penned bymy dear late mother:

Oh, Heavenly Father, We thank Thee for food and remember the hungry.

We thank Thee for health and remember the sick.

We thank Thee for friends and remember the friendless.

We thank Thee for freedomand remember the enslaved.

May these remembrances stir us to service,

That Thy gifts to usmay be used for others.

Amen.

Have a happy and socially distanced celebration, everyone! — Love, Abby