DNA test reveals surprise
Dear Amy: I was tested by a DNA service that notifies participants of DNA relatives and their calculated degree of kinship.
I was stunned to receive notice that I have an adult niece I am unaware of. One of my brothers is her father.
No one in our large family is aware of this, and I have not broached the subject with the brother I believe is her father. He is married with other (younger) children.
The young woman identified as my niece has not reached out to me, and I believe it is important to respect her privacy, even though I think she knows from the DNA results and social media who her father is.
I am steeling myself to keep this information secret and leave it to my niece to contact her father if she wishes. Your advice? Worried
Dear Worried: You should contact your brother privately and tell him about this match. This is a simple fact of life, and he can either accept or deny it — that is not for you to judge. You are simply giving him a headsup, and I would imagine that he would appreciate this, even if at the time, he is too shocked or bewildered to express this to you. He may not even be aware that he fathered a child.
You should not feel any pressure to contact this supposed-niece. If she contacts you, you’ll have to decide what you want to do about it at that time. If she wants your help to contact your brother, you should get her information and pass it along to him.
Dear Amy: The family farm recently came up for sale. My husband and I were the only family members in a position to buy it, and we were excited to do so.
Decades of neglect have left the buildings in disrepair, the barnyard is a junkyard and rampant fourwheeling has left a muddy mess. Extended family (my cousin, his wife and their two teenage boys) living next door were allowed free run of the place by the previous generation. They have contributed to its current condition.
My husband and I want to return the property to its former glory. We have made clear to the next-door relatives that things will be changing. We agreed to limited family privileges, such as hunting, and put that agreement in writing. Nevertheless, they regularly flaunt their disregard for the rules and our ownership.
Short of reporting them to the cops for trespassing, which would sever all family ties, what can we do? Fed Up on the Family Farm
Dear Fed Up: You and your husband should make a personal visit to this household or invite them to yours. Speak to the parents and the teen children together (it’s possible the teens are violating these rules without the parents being aware of it).
Revisit the rules you have put in place, which they have already agreed to. Ask them if they understand these agreed-upon restrictions, and if they have any questions. Tell them you expect them to abide by this agreement moving forward.
Some judicious fencing and posted signs might emphasize the boundary. The next time they overstep, you should have your lawyer write them a letter, reminding them of these rules. If they continue to violate these reasonable boundaries then, yes, you may have to call the authorities.
Send questions for Amy Dickinson to askamy@amydickinson.com.