Dear Annie: My father has asked if he, his wife and their two dogs can move in with my husband and me while they are building their new home. They sold their current condo, and the new place won't be finished for at least six months.
We have plenty of room, and I really don't want to say no to my father, who has never denied me anything. My husband is surprisingly OK with it, but I'm worried that it's a bad sitcom waiting to happen.
We are trying to get pregnant, and the lack of privacy is going to be a problem. I don't want Dad to resent me for saying no, but I also don't want to ruin the decent adult relationship we have. What should I do? — Still a Loving Daughter
Dear Loving Daughter: You and your father need to have an open, honest heart-to-heart about your concerns. Explain that you love him, but the pressure of having two extra people and two dogs for six months could damage the relationship. If he is aware that you are trying to get pregnant, tell him the added stress could interfere with your attempts, not to mention the damper it puts on your efforts.
It's possible you could work out a compromise. Perhaps Dad and his wife could rent an apartment or hotel room for the first few months and then come to live with you. Or, you can offer to try living together, but Dad must agree to move out if things deteriorate. Whatever you decide, keep the lines of communication open, you can get through this without hurt feelings.
Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611. © Creators Syndicate Inc.