Dear Queenie,
My wife’s son has started many projects but never finishes them. He didn’t even finish high school, so he has trouble getting a job and then he can’t keep it because he just doesn’t finish the work they give him. When this happens he threatens to kill himself, so my wife gives him money until he gets a next job. He never actually has tried to kill himself, but he always talks about it.
She has given him more money than we can afford, but she won’t try to do anything to help him – or make him – do any better.
We tried to get him counselling, but he quit that too because he said it didn’t work, and I think it didn’t work because he lied to the counsellor.
My wife is so unhappy about him and angry with me because I am not sympathetic toward her son.
Queenie, what can I do to help her?—Worried stepfather
Dear Stepfather,
You can try to get your son tested for psychological problems like attention deficit disorder. You can also try to get your wife to go with you for family counselling to learn how to deal with your stepson’s problems better, and how to deal with the problems it is causing between you and your wife.
