Unwanted tenants cause strife for family

Dear Annie:

My husband and I own a second home. Our daughter, her boyfriend and their two young children live in that house and pay us rent. Six months ago, the entire boyfriend’s family (his mom, dad, two grown brothers and brothers’ girlfriends) moved in. They moved from out of state and need a place to stay until they find a home of their own. There has been no additional rent income, and in addition, they all smoke and have pets in the house, which is against the house rules. We are happy to help our children, but we feel used, manipulated and disrespected by these “guests.” What is your advice? Being Taken Advantage Of

Dear Being Taken Advantage Of:

Look more closely at your daughter’s and her boyfriend’s actions, and listen less to their words. She can say it’s temporary, but six months is enough time to find a place to stay. It is your house and your rules. Set a date for the family of your daughter’s boyfriend to be out of your house, and stick to it. Remember, it is your daughter who is allowing the “guests” to use and disrespect your property. You could also consider hiring a property manager. That way, someone other than you would be enforcing your rules. The amount of money this would cost is small when compared with the potential damage to your property and your relationship with your daughter.

Dear Annie:

I really enjoyed reading your response to the freshman with social anxiety and agree with your response. I have suffered with social anxiety and being “weird” my entire life. I remember it being the absolute worst when I was in high school. All I wanted was to fit in, and I had no idea how to do that. I just want to let “Freshman” know that the awkwardness of being socially anxious is not something that just magically goes away one day. It is something you get better at dealing with as you age. As you and your peers get older, they will become more understanding and you will meet many others who feel the same way you do. Here is a quotation that has helped me a lot over the years: “Say what you want and be who you are, because those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.” Happily Awkward

Dear Happily Awkward:

May this letter inspire other people out there who feel like “the weird one” to live happily. Being just like everyone else would get pretty boring pretty quickly. As P.T. Barnum said, no one ever made any difference being like everyone else. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.