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Dear Wilma, My new neighbors complain that we make too much noise. We’ve lived in the same townhome for 4 years, with a least 3 different sets of neighbors, and our neighbor who moved in a month ago is the only one who has ever voiced a noise complaint. The problem is we’re not louder than normal. Yes, I do have two eager toddlers who enjoy an occasional squeal along with all the other fun things that go along with being a child – playing with noise-making toys, jumping in the bed, and singing songs, to name a few. To motivate happiness, my husband and I are guilty of chasing them around the house, tickling them silly, and engaging in other childhood whims with them. Simply put, we’re your average young family with average kids. We don’t have cable TV, but we do watch an occasional movie on DVD, and we always listen to it at a normal volume. Within the past two weeks, our new neighbor has come over on two different occasions to talk about the noise level while we’re simply going about our daily living. I’ve always been a good neighbor and very considerate of those around me. However, I think this neighbor is just being a Grinch. Our home is full of laughs (sometimes cries) and fun, and I feel guilty lately with having to always tell my children to quiet down, especially in the daytime. In fact, I’m feeling inclined to ignore my neighbors request, but then again, I’ll feel guilty about that too. Any advice? Signed,
Too-Loud Neighbor |
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Dear Wilma, I’m tired of giving my sister-in-law money. During the 3 years that I’ve been married, my sister-in-law has asked us for money over a dozen times. Well that’s not exactly true. Sometimes she doesn’t outright ask. Oftentimes she calls her brother (my husband) to vent about things that are going wrong, or things that money is needed for. Being a wonderful brother, my husband often offers to help (which she knows ahead of time that he’s likely to offer). It bothers me to no end because we’re all grown (in fact, she’s older than I am), she has a college education, a full-time job, and she indulges in luxuries that I don’t (salon visits, etc.). We have 3 kids, a large house note, 2 vehicles, a dog, and other responsibilities, all on a one-person salary. She has herself, a cheap apartment, and a few trivial bills. I’ve voiced my frustrations to my husband, and although he seems to try to understand, he also feels I’m being selfish because family is supposed to help family. I truly don’t mind helping people out with money, but when it comes to her, she takes, takes, takes, plus I dislike that she usually asks my husband for the money when I’m not around. I could live with giving a few bucks here or there for gas, but her requests are usually in the hundreds. I know God blesses my family, and I should be using my resources to help others, but when is enough enough? By the way, my family never asks for money. Signed,
Frustrated Sister-in-Law |
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Dear Wilma, I’ve been staying home with my two-year-old son since he was born, and I’m tired of staying home already. I lack the motivation to get up and find fun things for us to do, and I find that most days I’d really prefer to be in an office setting. The problem is, I was the poster child for being an at-home mom. I argued with family, friends, and in-laws about how rewarding it is, and how I wouldn’t trade the opportunity for anything. My husband never expected me to be a stay-at-home mom, but he was proud of me for deciding that this was something I want to do. I love my son, he benefits so much from being at home in my care (I really do engage him all throughout the day, I just don’t always “feel” like it), and I enjoy the time we spend together, but the thrill of staying home is gone. Before I confess the truth to my husband and start thinking about a path back to work, I really want to be sure. I’ve been feeling like this for a couple of months. Should I throw in the towel right now, or could this possibly just be a phase? Any advice for making this so-called “freedom” from Corporate America more enjoyable?
Signed,
A Bit Burned Out |
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