Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/763026
DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman THEDUPLEX GlennMcCoy ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Myhusband had a rough childhood. His mother was with a man who physically abused him and sexu- ally abused his sister. His mother knew what was going o n, bu t did n't tak e any steps to protect her children. She cut off ties to extended family and isolated her kids. I presume she was abused as well. My husband left home when he was 16. He moved half- way across the country, managed to finish high school and put himself through college, all while living in homeless shel- ters or on street corners. My husband still has contact with his mother, and his mom and her new husband (whom we have met on a few occasions) have decided to come out to our house for Christ- mas. They didn't ask; they just invited themselves. My children have met their grandma. They're not old enough to know anything about my husband's childhood. My husband maintains that his mother is a changed person, but I have no evidence of that. Every fiber of my being screams that she shouldn't be trusted and her interaction with my kids should be supervised. My husband thinks I'm being illogical and over- protective. He says his mother would never allow our kids to be harmed. Am I crazy for feeling this way? It's been 20 years since my husband left. Can a person really change in that time? —Overprotective Mama Bear DEAR MAMA BEAR » Your mother-in-law might have changed, but one sign that she has further to go is her choice to violate a basic boundary and invite herself to your home. Why hasn't anyone asked if this is OK with you? Perhaps your husband hasn't given you the full story regarding who is- sued the invitation, but regardless — you and your husband equally sh ar e t h e ho me a n d y ou should also share deci- sions regarding guests. The short answer is that it is possible your mother-in-law has changed, but you don't know your mother-in- law's new husband, and so — you should abso- lutely keep a close eye on the children. Bringing a new male family member into the household places your children at risk. Never leave your chil- dren alone with the older couple, for any length of time. Do not bow to pres- sure from your mother- in-law (or your husband) to let them baby-sit or take the kids alone on outings. If they challenge your judgment, explain yourself — frankly, firmly and clearly. I hope you will support your husband's effort to make peace with his mother. This could be a very important step in his personal development. But your job as parents is to use an abundance of caution regarding your own children. Do not cre- ate or permit any situa- tions that might carry this terrible pattern of neglect and abuse into the next generation. Parents must be cautious allowing grandparent visits You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@amydickinson. com and follow her on Twitter @askingamy. Amy Dickinson Ask Amy Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Sagittarius(Nov.23-Dec. 21) — Your ability to work hard will bring results that exceed your expectations. A celebration is warranted. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — You'll be given an unusual choice that's worth considering. Discuss what you can contrib- ute and what you would like in return. Don't make a move. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Make festive plans with youngsters. Preparing for upcoming events will bring you one step closer to an organized end-of-year experience. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Being ready for upcoming festivities or taking care of per- sonal paperwork that will help you transition from one year to the next should take top priority. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Emotional situations will flare up if you aren't careful about how you deal with your peers or family members. Use caution when discussing delicate matters. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Sharing expenses with col- leagues, friends or relatives will be worthwhile. Don't feel the need to overspend. Look for al- ternatives that will help you cut corners. Be budget-conscious and ease your holiday stress. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — You'll be faced with an unusual situation. Making a choice will be stressful if you don't have all the facts. A poor decision will lead to an emotional expense. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Book a trip, or discuss your plans for the upcoming year with someone you want to spend more time with. Sign up for a course or indulge in a creative pursuit. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Deal with matters concerning institutions. It's important to have everything in place before the year comes to a close. Doing something nice for children or elders will be fulfilling. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Call in favors if it will help you clear up pressing matters before the year comes to a close. A partnership looks promising, and discussions regarding how to move forward are encouraged. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Attend a community event geared toward festive ideas and end-of-year sales. A reunion with old friends or colleagues will be enlightening. Travel plans should be considered. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Put muscle into your domes- tic chores and get your place in tip-top shape before year's end. Moving forward without bag- gage will give you freedom to pursue new beginnings. Horoscope By Eugenia Last WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14 | YOURDAILYBREAK | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2016 4 B