Dear Care and Feeding,
My husband and I have two boys: a 6-year-old and a 6-month-old. We live far away from my family, and because of COVID, my parents haven’t met their new grandkid in person yet. We FaceTime but it’s obviously not the same. I’m writing because my mother doesn’t seem that interested in our baby. She’s very close with my oldest boy and has been ever since he was a baby, so I assumed at first that her disinterest was simply because she has never met my youngest in person. I figured that would change once they finally got to spend time together. However, we were talking recently and my mother asked if we could send our oldest to vacation with them and only my oldest. She said she didn’t want to have to take care of a baby. I’m hurt that she would so blatantly play favorites and pass on an opportunity to meet her grandson, especially since I wasn’t the one asking her to babysit. I would rather keep both boys home with me than send only one away. Am I b
Dear Care and Feeding,
I have a sensory disorder that makes me pretty sensitive to food texture, taste, and smell. My wife is an adventurous eater who loves all sorts of foods that are challenging for me. We’ve reached a loving compromise she’ll make a base (pasta, rice, etc.) and a side sauce, then give me the base and put on the side sauce for her portion. We are both happy with this arrangement. If I’m being honest, I want my kids to grow up like my wife. My food issues have restricted my life in a way that’s made it hard for me to eat at restaurants, travel, and generally be adventurous. I want my kids to be open-minded and excited to try new foods. Our youngest is 1 and has already noticed that Mommy and Mama eat different foods. Short of eating in the closet or out of her eyesight, how do I ensure my daughter doesn’t inherit my food pickiness? How can I encourage her to try new foods while I’m unable to do so myself?
Dear Care and Feeding,
My daughter, Olivia, is 16 and has a cousin, Lila, also 16, with whom she’s always been close despite living in different states. Lila was able to take a lot of extra classes while distance- learning and is graduating from high school this June; she is moving this summer to New York for college. Olivia hasn’t been doing well at all with distance learning, even though I hired an in-person tutor for her she failed three classes last semester and might not graduate on time next year.
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Olivia has now decided, since she thinks she’s a failure at school, that she should