Grandmother Skips Granddaughter's Party
DEAR HARRIETTE: I just threw a birthday party for my daughter. She's turning 11, and I invited a few of her friends and our family to celebrate her at a "Moana"-themed party. The party was held at my mother-in-law's house, which irritated my mother, who said she feels uncomfortable going to my children's other grandma's house. I explained to her that my house is too small. I always throw parties at my mother-in-law's, which she knows.
The day of the party, my mom told me she was feeling sick and couldn't make it. I was upset but understood she wasn't feeling well, or so I thought. I later found out she skipped her granddaughter's birthday party to go out to dinner with my brother and his wife. I am so angry that she would rather go out to eat than celebrate her granddaughter's birthday, and on top of it, my mom is acting like it's my fault she didn't come due to the party being at my mother-in-law's. Is it normal for me to be upset and not understand why she didn't want to come? -- Hurt Mom
DEAR HURT MOM: There's a lot to unpack here. Is there some old beef between your mother and your in-laws? If so, get that out in the open, and address it if you can. Ask your mother to think about your daughter above any issue she has with them as it seems shortsighted. What about your brother and his wife? Weren't they invited to the party? Dig a bit deeper to find out why your family would turn their backs on your daughter's celebration.
If you need to have some frank talks with family members to get to the bottom of this, take the time to do that so you can clear the air.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a college student, and I was seeing a boy earlier in the summer. We had a great connection but ultimately drifted apart due to both of us having busy schedules. He would still sometimes reach out to me, but it kind of felt like being strung along, and I felt like I deserved better, so I stopped interacting with him. Lately, he has started liking every single thing I post on social media, and I am thinking about reaching out to him. My friends are all telling me not to because they don't like him, but what if we're both ready this time? Should I reach out to him and see what happens or listen to my friends and try to find someone new? -- Conflicted Student
DEAR CONFLICTED STUDENT: This is your life. What do you want? You seem to like this guy. Pause and look back at your interactions in the past. Was he kind and respectful to you? Being busy surely can get in the way of romance. Is that all it was? If you think he is worth a second chance, reach out. With your eyes wide open, invite him on a date and do your best to talk. See if he seems to be truly interested in you. Check your gut on how it feels to be in his company. Take your time to see if you two actually click before giving him your heart.
========
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
Copyright 2026, Harriette Cole
COPYRIGHT 2026 Andrews McMeel Syndication. This feature may not be reproduced or distributed electronically, in print or otherwise without the written permission of Andrews McMeel Syndication.
Comments