Elderly mother caught in a lie
You might start the ball rolling by choosing to be honest with your mother in the way you wish she had been honest with you.
Tell her, "Mother, I've been going through your papers. I opened the sealed envelope containing your wedding certificate you entrusted to me and I see that you misstated the year of your wedding. I think you should disclose this to all of your children. I also think I might not be the right person to oversee your affairs because I can't seem to stop judging you about this inconvenient truth."
Dear Amy: Christmas is approaching and I know from experience what that will look like for my 18-month-old daughter and my mother-in-law: So many clothes. And toys. An avalanche of stuff.
I love my mother-in law-and appreciate her pampering her only grandbaby, but I have this issue: I am a dedicated tree hugger, and the textile industry is catastrophically destructive for the planet.
I shop 100 percent secondhand, except for the obviously necessary exceptions, all of which I source from companies with transparent methodologies and third-party accountability.
The deluge of unethically produced items honestly makes me a little sick, especially when it's not just bad for the planet but, you know, ugly/tacky/cheaply made and unlikely to hold up to a toddler's wear and tear.
Is there any way I can communicate this that's unlikely to cause a problem?
My MIL is steadfastly conservative and believes that climate change is a hoax.
-- Reluctant Clothes Horse
Dear Reluctant: I hope your partner is onboard with this, because you two should be a united front in dealing with your mother-in-law.
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