Close family wants to confront alcoholic brother
He let our friend know of his displeasure, but is now worried about how we'll all get along with this friend and his family in social situations. How can he and the rest of our family best deal with the potential awkwardness of this unfortunate situation?
-- Want to Keep a Friend
Dear Friend: The dynamic you describe is the main hazard in hiring close friends or family members to work in a family business. And yet, it is your husband's duty to his other workers and clients to hold his work to a high standard.
It is laudable that you and your husband want to maintain the friendship. Your husband should chalk this up to being a "bad fit," and consider the matter closed. Your husband can't control the other man's embarrassment or behavior, but he should express his desire to move forward with the friendship. You should be able to recover from this.
Dear Amy: Thank you for pushing back at the people signing their question "Devoted and Caring Parents." These parents were most concerned with how often their son and daughter-in-law would be with them on Christmas Day, even though the daughter-in-law had divorced parents who also wanted to see her.
I was appalled at the selfishness of these people.
-- Faithful Reader
Dear Faithful: I had a huge response to this question. The great majority agreed with you.
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(You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson.com. Readers may send postal mail to Amy Dickinson, c/o Tribune Content Agency, 16650 Westgrove Drive, Suite 175, Addison, Texas, 75001. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or "like" her on Facebook.)
