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Tell Me About It: Readers discuss harassment and respect

 
Published July 2, 2017

While I'm away, readers give the advice.

On getting obnoxious political emails to stop:

No Longer Tormented in Florida: I had someone constantly sending me political emails. Most were forwards and simply inflammatory rhetoric, which was easily refuted. Instead of getting angry or just deleting them, I wrote back giving him the facts on the subject and referencing a reputable fact-checking site.

I did a "reply all" so everyone on his list received it also.

My tormenter stopped sending me things very quickly when he realized that his whole list was getting the responses.

On managing a (not-so-different) barrage:

R.: I worked with a lady who would bring pictures of her daughter to work every day, and she would show them to me.

One day, after I was looking at the pictures of her daughter, I asked her if she'd like to see a picture of my cat. She gave me the nastiest look and said, "Why would I want to see a picture of your cat?" My response was, "For the same reason I'd want to see a picture of your daughter."

No more daughter pictures showed up after that.

On the line grandparents can say that will get them invited back often:

Different Strokes: My dad has passed, two years now, but I always appreciated him saying, to Mom or to himself, "We had our chance to raise our kids. Now it's their turn." He never doled out unsolicited opinions nor advice on parenting choices. I'm certain there were plenty of times he had very strong opinions, and he wisely kept that to himself.

Part of being a grandparent is to respect and appreciate that your adult children and their significant others are going to do their best as parents, and in their own ways.