“My step-son (12) knows that I have a pet peeve about manners at the dinner table and that includes no burping out aloud, other bodily noises, cracking his knuckles, placing his elbows on table. He will stare me down and do these things as if he is really trying to get a rise out of me. I have been trying to ignore him and I have been hoping that his father would do something about it but nothing is ever done. My fiancé says, ‘will the both of you knock it off, you are always nagging him.’” (Letter shortened)

The three of you have developed a dance routine that appears to work for everyone – but you. Stop dancing. The son knows the hierarchy, your fiancé knows all the moves, and you persist in playing into their hands.

Wise action on your part will have both males looking at each other in complete confusion. Make your moves playful, yet radical, at first, and then move onto actions resulting in greater gravity. You have played interference between and man and his son for too long and nothing will change until you stop.