Protecting children is mother’s No. 1 job

The following column was originally published in 2013.

Dear Annie: Since childhood, my mother has told me she never wanted me. I now have two children of my own. At one point, I became homeless, and my parents took me in. But I became ill and needed major surgery. While recovering, my brother’s son came over often and would constantly pick on my sons. My parents did nothing.

One day, I heard my youngest son screaming, and when I checked, I saw my 10-year-old nephew trying to molest him. I confronted my parents and my brother about allowing this behaviour to go on, and Mom said to forget about it. Dad said nothing. Now my mother has disowned me and will have nothing to do with my children.

I have no other family and this hurts. How can I get my parents to admit that my bully of a nephew has a serious problem?

On the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown

Dear Edge: Your nephew does indeed have a problem, but you cannot force your parents to address it. Your job is to protect your children. If that means keeping them away from your brother, your parents, your nephew or anyone else, then that is what you do. If the nephew molested your son, you could report the situation to the authorities.

Please look for “family” in your community and church. There are plenty of older adults who would love to be surrogate grandparents for your sons and would treat them with the care and consideration they deserve. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column.