Dear Abby: My son stole cash meant for his daughter’s faculty fund

DEAR ABBY: My oldest granddaughter can be schools quickly. My son and her mom are divorced. My mother and father gave my son (their grandson) cash to place away in accounts for his daughters’ faculty. Instead, he helped himself to that cash earlier than the divorce. When his ex-wife advised me about it, I confronted him. I made a decision to not inform my mother and father about it as a result of I used to be afraid it’d shock them right into a stroke or coronary heart assault. They are of their 90s. 

I’ve put away some cash to assist pay for school, but it surely gained’t cowl the prices. I’ve stored this a secret as a result of I don’t belief my son to handle it. When I requested him how he deliberate to assist pay for school, he mentioned he would use the cash he now pays for youngster help. I don’t discover that reply passable. 

I really feel like a failure for having raised a son who would take cash that belongs to his children. My granddaughter is upset and feels her father has ruined her future. She additionally thinks I ought to inform my mother and father that he stole the cash they meant for her. What do you assume I ought to do? — MORTIFIED IN MASSACHUSETTS

DEAR MORTIFIED: I think that you just didn’t inform your mother and father what your son did since you are ashamed of how he has turned out. That he would steal from his daughters is despicable. I don’t blame your granddaughter for being offended along with her father for what he did. I doubt that your mother and father understanding the reality will have an effect on their well being. Inform them about what occurred to the school fund, in case they’ve been planning to go away something of their property to their grandson.

DEAR ABBY: I’ve conflicting emotions concerning Valentine’s Day. I imagine it’s a celebration for {couples} somewhat than co-workers. My husband’s workplace employees (eight younger ladies beneath the age of 30) insist on celebrating Valentine’s Day with decorations on all workplace doorways, full with hearts and cupids. They have a catered lunch with specialty treats of chocolate-covered strawberries, fudge hearts and the customary coronary heart candies that learn “Be Mine,” “I Love You”, and so forth. 

My husband has been with this firm for 30 years, and we’ve been collectively for 15 of them, however this Valentine’s Day celebration started solely 4 years in the past. I’m 65 and have labored 20-plus years for a Fortune 500 company workplace and NEVER has Valentine’s Day been celebrated within the workplace. Christmas, sure. Fourth of July, sure. But Valentine’s Day? Am I simply previous and cranky? This has been a supply of rivalry between my husband and me because it started. — NOT LOVIN’ THAT IN TEXAS

DEAR NOT LOVIN’: I’ve heard of some individuals loving their jobs; maybe that is their approach of displaying it. It may be the employer’s approach of displaying appreciation for his or her (largely feminine) help employees. Unless you may have gotten a “whiff” that there’s greater than that happening, let it experience.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also referred to as Jeanne Phillips, and was based by her mom, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.