Dear Amy: My husband and I don't see eye-to-eye on an important issue. He has a habit of leaving our house keys inside our car. He leaves the keys in the cup holder in open view.
He does this whether it is day or night.
I think it is a dangerous habit. Someone could break into our car, get our address from our insurance card in the glove compartment, take the house keys and gain access to our house.
My husband travels and is normally gone all week, so our two young children and I are home alone. It really frightens me that he does this.
Whenever I explain why I think what he does is dangerous, he rolls his eyes.
Am I being paranoid?
Dear Worried: Your husband might change his mind about this important issue right around the time your car window is smashed so that someone can get at your house keys.
This practice presents a hazard to your vehicle, your home, you and your family.
I can't imagine why your husband wouldn't respect this very elementary matter of security and crime prevention.
I assume that you are extra vigilant about your security because of your husband's absences. Your local police department may offer a walk-through security assessment for homeowners; if so, I would recommend it.
Dear Amy: I was divorced five years ago. My children are now in college.
Five years ago my ex-husband gave my son a collection of books for Christmas.
. My ex continues to send my son the same books that he gave to him five years ago. It's heartbreaking to me.
Do you think he just forgot? Was he too consumed with his new wife and his new life?
Over Thanksgiving my son said to me, "Mom, Dad is five for five.
Every book he's sent me, he's sent me before."
I really don't know how to respond to my son. Do you have any advice?
Dear Nancy: I've repeated gifts, and it's not as much from inattention as from the idea that I get in my head that some particular thing would be ideal for a particular person. Then I forget that I've already given it.
In general, it's best for young adults to deal with their parents, but I can understand how this would be difficult for your son to tackle.
If your son can't manage it, then you could step in and deliver the message.
You or your son could e-mail, phone or write to his father to basically say, "Dad, I really appreciate the books you've given me these past few Christmases, but you've repeated some of the gifts. I'm sure it's accidental, but I just wanted to let you know.
I love getting books, and I have a list of books I'd look forward to reading if you want any suggestions."
One of my favorite childhood holiday stories concerns a neighbor of ours who gave one child a scarf still on the knitting needles one year and the next year gave the finished scarf to another child. It really is the thought that counts.
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