Dear Abby: Family member really, really doesn't like kids

[cereta]

DEAR ABBY: My brother-in-law (age 75) apparently doesn't like kids. He and my sister are childless. He just told my husband that what he doesn't like about our family gatherings is the attention everyone shows my two granddaughters. (They are 7 and 8.) At a recent gathering, he actually threw down game pieces and stomped off when they approached. Should I sever contact with my sister and him? I know if I tell my son about this, my son will cut ties with them. What parent forces their children on anyone who doesn't like them? Your advice might help. -- FAMILY GAL IN ALABAMA

DEAR FAMILY GAL: Not everyone relates well to kids. That said, your brother-in-law's behavior was appalling. Have a private talk with your sister. Could he be entering a second childhood? Knowing how he feels about children, if you wish to see him and your sister, consider socializing with them separately. If other family members with children invite them to anything other than an adults-only gathering, Sissy and her hubby should politely offer their regrets.

Comments

[xenacryst]

Indeed. Reading the letter I felt like I read the first half of the first sentence of a long novel and the middle half of some random sentence two thirds of the way through. Like, there was way more not there than there was there. The not there was so thick I couldn't even see the there.

[julian]

I think I had problems noticing that this time because usually, there's this sentence like, "My brother-in-law apparently doesn't like kids. Also, because of [mysterious] other things that have happened [that I won't go into here but will Comment Meaningfully And Mysteriously About], I have issues with him. Should we cut contact?"

[xenacryst]

:giggle: I think that's actually exactly why I noticed it - it threw me out of the story completely and gave me whiplash.