DEAR ABBY: My son married a wonderful woman. Sadly, they are having difficulty conceiving a baby. They have opted out of many conventional medical procedures because of their religious beliefs, for which I admire them.
While their struggles persist, another close family member has recently had a baby. My daughter-in-law has chosen not to see this family member or the baby because of the emotional pain of not being able to conceive herself. My son, who I know is torn, is supporting his wife. Our visits with them never include the new mom, dad and baby. My son has met the baby twice on the down-low.
Our hearts are heavy. This is putting a strain on the rest of us, although we empathize with my DIL’s emotional pain. What advice can you offer for this situation? — SADDENED IN THE EAST
DEAR SADDENED: Your daughter-in-law’s circle of friends (not to mention family) is going to shrink to nothing if she persists in hiding from anyone who has reproduced. Unless her religious beliefs discourage psychological counseling, she should absolutely reach out for some, and your son (who is already seeing the new baby on the down-low) should insist upon it.
DEAR ABBY: I have always had a great relationship with my in-laws. My father-in-law, “Jerry,” is a contractor who has generously helped us with renovations and other work around our condo. We moved to a house last year and expressed interest in a new bathroom floor. We bought all the materials and removed the old floor so he could install the new one.