“I am stuck in a verbally, mentally, financially, and physically abusive marriage for 28 years.The second and last born of my kids, together with their dad, condone and encourage each others bad behaviour towards me (their dad rewards their behaviour with money and goodies). We do not communicate at all. I feel helpless when I rebuff their behaviour without support. My eldest son is working and still lives rent free at home (paying off all his student loans). I have worked for the past 30 years. I single-handed educated two eldest and still have little 11 year old strong-willed boy. I purchased the town house, furnished it and bought the car which my husband uses for work,while I use our crumbling public transport system. I am financially crippled. Please assist with some points to use as I plan to write him a non-aggressive letter.”

Forget the letter. You determine your financial and emotional future. Take back your power and with it your home and car. Have a supportive person present when you tell your family how you will allow them to treat you, with the option that, if they don’t, they are free to leave. Freedom is a gift that shouldn’t be given away to anyone.

You must have a deep resiliency to come 28 years with a man who abuses you and encourages your sons to totally disrespect you. A non-aggressive letter isn’t going to do much good from the way you describe your household.

You need to do some very drastic changes if you want to have things happen for the better. Someone said that ‘Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.’ I would encourage you to consider respecting yourself and valuing the energy and stamina that you have invested in this family. You aren’t doing them any favours by giving in to their treatment of you.

I would encourage you to seek professional help to create a change in you, in them and in your home.

Your sons have seen their father treat you badly and it seems they want to play the same game. It will take great courage and perseverance from you to change the rules. They will continue this way unless you change. Before writing to them or talking with them you should decide what you will tolerate and what you will not tolerate, what you expect of them, and how they need to contribute to the running of the home. You need to be very sure what you will do if they will not accept your stand, as they are likely to resist change; change is hard. One of the most helpful things you could do however is to start esteeming and loving yourself. Work on you. What is good about you and worth respecting?

The situation you find yourself in has more to do with you than it does for your husband and sons. As an individual, you always have the freedom of choice to create the necessary positive and healthy changes that can only start with you. If you continue to allow your significant others to trample all over you, you really have no one but yourself to blame. If you can conjure up the faith, courage, strength, and dignity every woman in this world could possess, I can almost guarantee that you will become a person of sound mind, respect, security, and happiness. Be bold and be strong!

Thulani was four (he is now 11) when praying for a brother became his primary prayer focus, placing even Thomas The Train Engine stuff into second place when petitioning the divine. These prayers left me feeling helpless. Was I supposed to tell him I was trying?

One evening we visited Durban’s yacht basin. A little boy, clearly a homeless child, emerged and beckoned Thulani to play. The two boys with so little in common but race, raced and chased up and down the piers between the yachts.

“I want a brother like him.” Thulani said after I’d taken a photograph of the boys arm in arm. “Ask God,” was all I remember saying.

I knew the night’s inevitable parting would be tough for both boys. How does a parent explain the intricacies of international law and child trafficking laws to a four-year-old? Thulani understood we were leaving this boy in the darkness behind our rented car and this boy we were leaving would make a perfect brother.

That photograph is in our home. Guests comment that it is a very nice photograph of Thulani and Nathanael. Even Nathanael used to think it was he and his brother.

It’s this kind of detail that really gets a child’s attention when it comes to God’s power to answer prayers.

“My daughter is a single mother and she uses me to baby sit whenever she needs it and then pulls away when her son (5) gets too close to us. This is very hurtful. It feels like we are being used. I don’t complain or say anything because I don’t want her to stop us seeing our grandchild. I would prefer something more routine and I’d prefer her to stand back a little and allow the boy to really love us. Loving us does not mean he will love her any less. Please help.”

Let your daughter know how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Tell her what you would prefer – a routine. If you have plans and cannot babysit, let her know. This may initially cause her to pull back but probably not for long. It is really important to be honest with the people whom you love. Try spending time with your daughter and her son together. Tell her how much you love her and what a great job she is doing as a single mom. This may have less to do with your relationship with your grandson, and more to do with your relationship with your daughter. Focus on that.

Being a single mom is difficult. It must encourage you greatly to be able to help your daughter by caring for your grandson. It is very important that you sit down with your daughter and talk to her about the difficulties you see in current arrangement. Ask her to set some boundaries, and you do the same. Let her know how much you love looking after her son, and, as you set the boundaries, communicate your acknowledgment that she is the Mother with all the responsibilities being a mother brings. While caring for the boy you can also re-enforce that your daughter is his mother and let him know that you love being his grandmother or “Nana.” Talk about the importance of ‘what mommy says.’ By the way, your boundaries don’t have to be ‘law’ – they can be flexible so the unexpected may be accommodated. The important thing is to keep the communication open between your daughter and you.

Say it. Say exactly this (the contents of your letter) to your daughter. If you’d like, use your letter written to me as your script. You are being completely reasonable and your observations are accurate. Loving you and your husband, his grandparents, certainly does not mean he will love his mother any less. All parents, not only single moms, need help with the tough challenge of rearing children – and your sound reasoning suggests you are more than an asset to both your daughter and her son.

It has been quite a week! I’ve had clients pour in from near and far. My children are on school holidays (three full months!). The task of keeping them somewhat occupied is no easy one. The house is a mess, the laundry pile grows and grows despite my daily laundry ritual. Someone’s always hungry! Then, to cap it all, about three weeks ago a little dog came walking along our street dragging a leash. I took him to three local vets to advertise his decision to move into our house and to check if he had an identification chip implant!

We’ve named him Maximilian Goodrich Temba Smith but we call him “Max.” This Chihuahua thinks he has landed in heaven.

Amidst all the chaos and activity, I deeply enjoy the ongoing dialogue with ‘You and Me’ readers (aka “Take Up Your Life” and “Difficult Relationships” depending on where you are reading) who readily allow me (and now “us”) into their private pains, joys, small and large successes, while we all search for deeper meaning in busy, full lives.

Next week my children and I will be in Phoenix, Arizona where I will speak at a camp. Then we’ll whip up to the Grand Canyon and attend a wedding reception in Southern California – before we head back to Indiana, and back to school! I’ll be writing ‘You and Me’ from the road! Please be patient, the Internet is not available everywhere, and posting for four other writers could become cumbersome — but I will do my best.