Dr. Laura,

I am my husband's girlfriend/wife, and my kids' mom! My husband and I have always tried to support each other in our interacting with our parents. His parents were 20 years older than mine and are now at home in Heaven. We lived about 4 miles from them, and got along very well! My mom taught me how to treat my husband's mother, by how she treated my grandma....Thank you, Mom! After my mother-in-law died, we had Grandpa out 3 times a week, for 10 years, and sometimes more often as he aged and forgot which day it was! There were the usual challenges old age often brings, but we worked together, and our children had a wonderful relationship with Grandpa, and warm fuzzy memories of Grandma.

Now my parents are at the later end of life and we live 3,000 miles from them, but we always try to be a support to them. We call them often through each week, and they usually come and stay with us for 3-4 weeks once a year in our home as well as with having them with me in the sunny south for another 4-5 weeks, during the winter months. I SO VERY MUCH appreciate my wonderful husband's love, care and support as we journey this road again, this time with my parents! He is so patient and makes them feel very welcome in our home! I never feel pulled between him and my parents! He has a great relationship with my Dad and a fun teasing relationship with my Mom! They love and appreciate him very much!

I trust we are teaching our children how to care for us and their future partners' parents by the example we have tried to set! Whether we live close by or far away, it's team work, and my husband is a wonderful leader and partner....the very BEST!! And I love to tell him that!! And thank him often for his love and care of MY parents!

Thank you for your honesty and advice to all women on how to care for our men properly!

Cindy