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Dear Ruthie,
What do you do with an adult daughter you love but don’t really like all that much?
Sincerely,
Mommy Dearest
Dear Dearest,
Mom?! Is that you?! I told you never to message me here!
No, no, no. In all serious, my mother, Gert, and I get along great but that doesn’t seem to be the case for you and your princess. You’ll always love your daughter, and she’ll always love you. As kids grow into adults, form their own personalities and make their own decisions, their ideals, values and choices might not always be in line with yours … and, for the most part that’s all right. (I mean, it’s not like she’s murdering people, kicking homeless children or mixing animal prints, right?)
Continue to love your adult daughter, accepting the idea that you may not become best friends. Give yourself permission to let her be herself, and don’t try to persuade her to be anyone different than who she is. In other words, try not to let your differences bug you. Look the other way when she makes a bad choice and walk away when she says something dumb. (But, truly, that animal-print thing is pretty unforgivable.)
If this is becoming an issue that affects your life regularly or is weighing on you heavily, considering seeing a therapist to talk it through. He or she may eventually suggest family therapy but start talking one on one with a professional. Exploring your feelings and concerns could make a world of difference in how you cope with your daughter.
So, chin up! Mother’s Day is just around the corner, honey, and you don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to cash in!
Ruthie’s Social Calendar
March 2—Parent (Virtual) Support Group via The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center: If you’re the parent of an LGBTQ+ or questioning youth, this might be the group for you. Join the friendly bunch the first Wednesday of every month from 6-7 p.m. See the calendar area of www.mkelgbt.org for the link to the Google meeting.
March 3—Esta Noche at LaCage Niteclub (801 S. Second St.): Enjoy Latin music all night long every first and third Thursday of the month at LaCage. Drink specials, an 11 p.m. drag show and free entry help kickoff your weekend a bit early.
March 5—Drag Queen Brunch at The 5th Quarter (161 Horizon Dr., Verona): Make it a road trip for the books when you join the queens for bloodies and brunch. Head to Verona where you can take in the 10:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. performance before exploring this quant town for the day. Just be sure to call 608-845-9690 for brunch reservations first.
March 5—"Russian Ballet Theatre Presents Swan Lake” at the Riverside Theater (116 W. Wisconsin Ave.): Tchaikovsky’s classic comes to Milwaukee with this stunning new production. Hand-painted sets and 150 exquisite hand-sewn costumes complement the enchanting performance of timeless ballet. Order tickets ($25 to $89) to the 7:30 p.m. performance at www.pabsttheatergroup.com.
March 6—Spring Fever Vendor & Craft Fair at The New Berlin VFW (17980 W. Beloit Road): Shop till you drop with 30 vendors, makers and artists at this downhome event. From jewelry and fashion to artwork and candles, you’ll find it all during the noon to 4 p.m. fair.
March 7 to March 11—Taste & Toast Milwaukee (at various locations throughout downtown Milwaukee): The city’s favorite happy hour is back with five days of fun at numerous Third Ward and Downtown hot spots. Enjoy drink specials as well as discounted small plates and appetizers on a pub crawl you create yourself. See www.milwaukeedowntown.com for participating locations, menus and more.
March 9—Barefoot in the Park at Sunset Playhouse (700 Wall St., Elm Grove): The hilarious Neil Simon comedy comes to the popular Sunset Playhouse with this production that runs through March 20. Savor the lighthearted delight of two newlyweds establishing roots in Greenwich Village in the 60s when you nab your seats ($20 to $22) at www.sunsetplayhouse.com.
Have a question for Ruthie? Want to share an event with her? Contact Ruthie at DearRuthie@ShepEx.com.
