Dear Blake,
My 47-year-old son is employed at a prestigious university. His position involves a considerable amount of travel. Over the years, he always emailed us his travel plans along with flight information. Lately, he tells us when and where he is going but omits the flight, hotel information, etc. When we ask, our requests are ignored. When we tell him we think it’s irresponsible for him not to share this information, his response is, “My secretary has the information if there are any problems. “We always give our children our travel information, flights, hotels, etc. when we travel. Our question is, are we out of line for wanting this information from him?
Signed, Mildred
From Miami, Florida
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Dear Mildred,
You seem to be very upset about your son not supplying you information about his whereabouts when he travels. Just because he’s 47, you appear to believe he shouldn’t try to act like he’s grown. Anyway, here are some suggestions to let him know you are serious about him following your orders. Impose a curfew for him to be home every night before dusk. Call him nonstop every evening, and don’t stop until he sends you a selfie standing next to a clock. Contact his boss to see if you can’t get a copy of his job performance, treating it like a report card. And if you find anything in there less than perfect, threaten to take away his cell phone and driving privileges. Demand a list of his friends, so you can do a background check on all of them, to determine who he can and cannot associate with. Continue treating your son this way indefinitely. And in time I assure you, your whole family will be angry with him, after he laughs out loud at you, during your funeral. I hope this helps.
Blake