Ask Amy: Corrupt cop’s legacy is kept a secret
Dear Dad: This is the sort of decision that parents should make together.
In addition to emphasizing the important parenting choice to act as a team, I assume that if you had discussed this with her beforehand, your wife would have convinced you that kids don’t really need “a break” from school immediately before a scheduled 10-day-long break spent at a resort.
What you describe as “dug in,” I would describe as consistent and stable parenting which emphasizes education, while also demonstrating pro-social values about keeping your commitments.
While they are in high school, you shouldn’t offer time off as a “reward” for doing well in school. Doing well is the reward for their hard work.
I think you owe her an apology for making an important parenting choice without discussing it with her.
Your reward is that you get to tell the kids that they are going to finish out their scheduled school week before going on vacation.
Dear Amy: You affirmed a “Modern-day Greta Garbo’s” desire to be alone for long periods, but while I can see how my sister, daughter or female friends might want this, I don’t know of many men who would want their wives to spend a month away.
– Happy Husband
Dear Happy: I believe that mutual solitude can be a good thing for couples, especially if they both know how to take good care of themselves.
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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.)
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