DEAR ABBY: My ex-mother-in-law caught wind that my 6-year-old would be getting her first haircut and took it upon herself to trim my daughter’s baby curls without telling me so she could keep some for herself. I am livid. She has taken the first birthday, the first Christmas dress, the first pair of shoes.
I get that it’s her first time being a grandma, but this is MY first and only time being a mom. She is a delicate woman. How do I approach this? -- FIRST-TIME MOM
DEAR FIRST-TIME: Explain to your ex-mother-in-law what you wrote to me, omitting the part about “livid” because she’s “delicate.” The next time a first approaches, inform her politely that you wish to be consulted before she does anything else involving your daughter.
Stories by Abigail Van Buren
DEAR ABBY: Last week my wife and I were at a local function. During intermission, a man walked up behind my wife and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up, shouted “George!”, jumped out of her chair and was all over him, fondling his face and head. I had to turn away, but our friends continued to watch as the two carried on. She claims it was not inappropriate behavior and that I am just jealous. Is this really a married woman’s normal behavior? -- WOUNDED IN MISSOURI
DEAR WOUNDED: Bind your “wound” and let it go. While your wife’s reaction may have seemed over-the-top to you, if George is someone your wife cared about and hadn’t seen in many years, it wasn’t out of the realm of normality for her.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.