Dear Amy: My husband and I married 16 years ago. He has two sons, and I have a son and daughter. We were not the Brady Bunch, but I truly tried.

My stepsons have been involved in narcotics since they were middle-schoolers. Today, they are both near 30, on methadone, and have been able to work and live on their own with my husband’s financial help. We have had many upheavals in our lives, centered on their addictions and behavior.

My husband loves to have the family together for meals, birthday celebrations, etc. This is fine. I understand. However, the burden of shopping and preparing these meals falls to me.

My husband wants everything ready to slide onto the table the minute they walk in the door because he knows they only stay for a very short time.

Yet even with advance planning, they are consistently late by two or three hours.

I get up early to start working on the meal, only to try to save and salvage it until they walk in the door. I’ve suggested to my husband that he cook or order in food, but he says they need a wholesome, home-cooked meal. And he makes excuses for their lateness.

How do I get my husband to call his sons on this behavior?

— Frustrated in the Kitchen

Dear Frustrated: Your husband is accepting what he can get from his sons. They show up at all because they feel obligated to their father and you, and they eat and run because being home fills them with tension, sadness and guilt because of all they’ve been through, and all they’ve put you through.

I can understand why your husband doesn’t confront them about their lateness. He wants to establish “home” as a place where they aren’t judged, criticized or stigmatized. He’s going for “normalcy,” but the entire situation is very loaded.

I think you have two choices: You can commit to this experience and decide that this is a beautiful way that you specifically can show your love and compassion toward these men. Release your anger elsewhere, anticipate their lateness and make food that is easily served room-temperature (or easily reheated).

You can go on strike. Tell your husband, “This has become a very tough situation for me. When it comes to these visits, you are very tense and demanding. The next time we plan a meal with our sons, you are going to have to handle it. I’ll help out, but you need to be in charge of the food.”

You and your husband should commit to counseling and/or a “friends and family” support group.

Dear Amy: How do I gracefully withdraw from involvement in a church?

My husband was attending, and I accompanied him for a time. The members are good and well-meaning people who do good things.

I got involved in some activities that the church offered, but with this COVID-19 situation, I have had time for reflection. I have found my heart returning to my own traditions.

My husband keeps telling me not to say anything to anyone. I know that he likes and greatly respects my tradition, and is happy about it, but he has a commitment for a year to the church.

I am fine with him attending alone. If, however, in the future, the church opens up, I know people will be asking where I am, and I am not sure how to handle this. I don’t want to leave people hanging, but also don’t want to apologize for my beliefs.

— Gracefully Wondering

Dear Gracefully: Your husband should not ask you to stay quiet. You have nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.

If asked, you can say, “I appreciated my involvement in the church; in fact, it has inspired me to return to my own traditional faith practice.”

Dear Amy: “Upset Wife” claimed to be bothered that her husband’s siblings didn’t call him more often.

I have a theory (based on my experience). I think it’s possible that they don’t call because they don’t want to talk to her! She needs to stay out of this.

— Close Sibling

Dear Close: Several readers shared your theory — and you could be right! Regardless, these are his relationships to manage, not hers.

Copyright 2020 by Amy Dickinson

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