DEAR HARRIETTE: My mother and father are taking part in favorites with their grandchildren, and it’s changing into extra apparent.
My children are beginning to discover, and it completely breaks my coronary heart. For instance, my mother buys my sister’s youngsters way more costly items for birthdays and holidays, whereas my children get smaller or much less considerate presents. She additionally typically invitations my sister’s children out to lunches, particular outings or buying journeys, however hardly ever contains mine.
My youngsters have began to ask why grandma doesn’t deal with them the identical, and I by no means know what to say with out making my mother and father look dangerous.
I don’t need to create a household battle, however I additionally don’t need my children rising up feeling much less cherished or much less vital than their cousins. A part of me desires to sit down down and have an trustworthy dialog with my mother and father about how this favoritism is affecting my household, however I’m scared it’s going to make issues worse.
Ought to I confront my mother and father about this or let it go and discover different methods to reassure my youngsters that they’re equally valued and cherished?
— Taking part in Favorites
DEAR PLAYING FAVORITES: You must converse to your mother and father and level out your considerations. Inform them that your youngsters have observed that their grandparents don’t deal with the entire grandchildren the identical, and their emotions are harm. Ask them to be extra aware of how they deal with all the youngsters.
Be ready to distract your youngsters from their grandparents’ favoritism, although, as you don’t have any management over it.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve been working in company America in finance for the previous six years, and whereas I’ve realized quite a bit and grown professionally, I’ve all the time had an entrepreneurial spirit. I like the thought of making one thing of my very own, being my very own boss and constructing a enterprise that displays my passions and values.
The issue is that I’ve no clue the place to begin. I don’t know how you can give you a viable enterprise thought, work out funding or navigate all of the logistics concerned in launching an organization.
I’m additionally nervous about leaving the safety of a gentle paycheck and advantages, and I fear about failing or making errors that would set me again financially.
On the identical time, I really feel like I’ve been placing this dream on maintain for too lengthy, and I don’t need to remorse by no means taking the leap. How do I start exploring entrepreneurship when I’ve so many questions and fears? What are the primary steps I ought to take to show my dream right into a actuality?
— Dreaming
DEAR DREAMING: I need to push again a bit and ask you: What precisely is your dream? What you describe is a obscure need to have a enterprise. With the intention to be a profitable entrepreneur, you want to have a burning need to do one thing particular. That fireplace inside then will drive you to determine the entire particulars.
To be taught extra about entrepreneurship, you may take a category or learn books that describe what to do.
You might also need to contemplate pursuing a passion, volunteering or becoming a member of a not-for-profit board, one thing that expands your horizons but in addition lets you keep in your company job. That could possibly be nice, too.
