Ask Amy: Shy guy wants to learn to connect
Urge your mother to speak to her brother about this. She should encourage him to find a way to disclose this to his family. Your mother should be brave enough to be honest with him -- and notify him that she has told you about this.
She should emphasize that it is only a matter of time before this becomes more widely known within the family, and that this disclosure is best coming from him.
Give this time to play out.
Dear Amy: "SQ" wanted to revert to her maiden name after her divorce, but one of her sons objected.
I faced a similar dilemma years ago when I divorced, also with two sons living at home. I chose to transition to my maiden name slowly by adding it to the name I shared with my kids ... rather than Jane Doe, I became Jane Smith-Doe.
My kids became accustomed to my maiden name being part of my "Official" name. When I dropped my married name after the youngest left for college, they barely noticed.
-- D
Dear D: Great solution.
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(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
