Grandma raising boy eager to live her life

DEAR ABBY » I have been raising my daughter’s first child. “Joey” is 10, and he has been living with my husband and me full time for four years. I love him very much and enjoy being his “mom,” but I’m not good at helping him with homework. My daughter doesn’t have time for him. She has two other kids with a different dad.

My life revolves around him. But, Abby, at 52, I feel I have earned the right to do as I want at this time in my life. I feel I would be punishing Joey if I gave him back to his mom to raise. His biological father is not in his life, although the paternal grandparents are in contact with him. Your thoughts on this situation?

— Like a Mom in

South Carolina

DEAR LIKE A MOM

When Joey is 18, you will be 60. Please do not give up on your grandson at this point. You are everything to him. Would you really consider turning Joey over to them to mess up? Stay the course!

DEAR ABBY » One of the last times we hung out, a friend made a comment about my size. She said, “I shouldn’t complain about my weight gain.

I’m smaller than YOU.” It was really rude. I thought about that comment and how to approach it for a week, and when I saw her next, I asked her to not bring up my size when she complains about hers.

Instead of apologizing, she spent 15 minutes justifying what she said. She keeps reaching out and asking to spend time with me, but at this point, I don’t feel I should. What would you do? —

Offended

in Hawaii

DEAR OFFENDED » I would tell her no, and I would tell her in no uncertain terms exactly why.