Dec 31, 2016 4 min read

Q. I’m fed up with my neighbors across the street. They are a family of four – with two kids who are about 4 and 6 years old. The mom is really the one who’s bothering me. Daytime is not a problem, as I’m at work. Nighttime is not a problem; the kids play on the trampoline in their front yard, and I actually smile sometimes seeing them. (Brings me back to those days of not having a care in the world. And what kids play outside these days anyway?) Morning, on the other hand, is becoming increasingly frustrating for me.

You see, Mom has a habit of broadcasting their entire morning routine to the whole street. When trying to shuffle the kids out to the car for school, she’s yelling from inside the house: “Augie, I SAID wash your hands and grab your lunch!” Once they’re in the driveway, she’s demanding, “Ava, NO! Not in the street! You’re going to get hit.” Her voice is high and shrill. It reminds me of an evil teacher I had in fourth grade. Strapping the kids in the car is a whole third ordeal. One time, her son locked the doors, so she couldn’t get in the car. I can’t help but wonder whether he’s acting up to get a rise out of her (and I chuckle).

This scene happens every morning around 7 a.m. – and even on Saturdays and Sundays! Though I do appreciate these free lessons on how NOT to parent my children, I’m literally tired of it, as it wakes me up and I can’t go back to sleep. And I don’t want to hear someone else’s business shouted up and down the block. A friend suggested I slip an anonymous note in their mailbox asking them to be mindful of the volume. Would that be rude? I don’t have kids yet, but I do sympathize with the challenge of being a mom. What should I do? – Nancy Across the Way

A. We have a tendency in our society to always blame the mom. Being a working mother to two young children is challenging. (I know the feeling.) So do try to cut her some slack. She may be a perfectly pleasant person most of the time.

That being said, I might approach her in a polite way and let her know that her morning voice is noticeably loud and carries across the neighborhood. My guess is she’s in such a rush every morning that she never stops to realize she is screaming. She would probably appreciate the info.

Dear Annie: This is in response to “Widow in Need,” whose stepson sold her husband’s farm and didn’t give her any of the proceeds.

Her first step must be a discussion with an attorney. Once she has an action plan in place, the second step might be to discuss the situation and action plan with her son before she invites her stepson to dinner to request that the stepson and his wife abide by his obligations.

There are a lot of bad things about this situation. The most heartbreaking is the stepson’s willingness to use his manipulation skills on his stepmother for his own benefit. He has shown that the “ounce of compassion” is not in him.

Did the widow receive anything for her half of the farm’s value? Did her son get his quarter of the farm’s value?

I hope that she sees an attorney first and that the state she lives in is a community property state. – 78-Year-Old Farm Owner

Send questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.