If you don’t protect your kids, who will?

Dear Amy: My father-inlaw is a sex offender who abused his daughters when they were young. He spent most of my husband’ school years in prison.

My problem is, we have a 4-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son. I’ve become very worried about my judgment in ever letting our children spend time at their grandparents’ house.

I feel helpless.

My kids have lots of cousins that they love. They will be excluded from activities if I put my foot down and don’t let them go to that house.

I don’t want to make my husband feel bad — his family has already been torn apart because of this.

No one will talk about the abuse that took place, and it’s almost as if it never happened. They cut the daughters who were abused out of their lives.

What should I do? — Worried Wife

Dear Worried: Imagine this: You won’t walk across the railroad tracks on a blind curve.

Instead, you send your young children scampering across — with no knowledge or information, no empowering education and no ability to discern possible dangers.

Please, never subject your children to a situation you aren’t willing to face yourself. You should either be brave enough to be with them, or you should make sure their father is empowered and vigilant.

As a sex offender, your father-in-law is legally prevented from having access to children in schools or in the neighborhood. And yet, his own family — the people who know the most about his history — are placing children in his path.

I can understand why you don’t want to interfere with your husband’s relationship with his father, but you must advocate for your own children. Talk with your husband about this and develop a strategy. Do this as parents and partners.