Stepmother tired of being taxi

Dear Abby: My husband and I have been married 21⁄ years. We have both

2 been married before. I have a son, and he has three daughters. My son is married with two children. He works and is pretty self-sufficient. Two of my husband’s daughters live in the same city we do. They are 26 and 28. They don’t have cars or driver licenses and live with their mother, who is also car-less.

They often ask us for transportation. While I don’t mind doing it once in a while, we are not a taxi service. Occasionally, they’ll offer gas money. But my point is, every time the car is started and driven down the street, there is wear and tear on the vehicle. The girls don’t step up when it’s time to pay repair bills.

This is a constant argument between my husband and me, and I don’t know what to do about it. I love my stepdaughters, but in my opinion, they are old enough to be more self-sufficient. Advice, please. – Desperate in Reno, Nev.

Dear Desperate: You’re right; the “girls” are old enough. The solution to your problem lies in helping them become independent. This is what you should discuss with their father. There is a public transportation system in your community, and they should be familiar with it. If for some reason that’s not workable, perhaps their father could help them pay for driving lessons and/ or a down payment on a used vehicle of their own.