Son had a large wedding and reception but because it was in the afternoon, no dancing. But if we did have a song it would be Celine Dion's "Because You Loved Me." His small high school graduating class sang that to the parents then they gave the mom's a rose. Talk about crying! DIL knows what a close knit family we are and she loves how close I am to my son's. Now that she's a mother of a son she really understands the special bond between son and mother which is not like the old saying goes, "A son is a son until he takes a wife, a daugther is a daughter for the rest of her life." Heck, I still get onto my children! I'll always remember Barbara Bush speaking about Jr., "Just because he's the President doesn't mean he can put his feet on my coffee table!" lol

Just wanting yall to know reading this has gave me courage. I recently met my 18 year old son for the first time. Also, in tears because he described how his Mother and her boyfriend had abused him. All started off great. He called me asking for help, he was going to be homeless. Not being financialy stable myself....didnt matter. I went and took out a loan so i could buy him, his girlfriend, and my new grandbaby across America with minutes notice. My son is a little taller, and bigger around then me, but otherwise, we look like twins. I arranged for him to have a home, since my apt isnt very big, and arranged for him to get a job. Like I said all started perfect. Soon I begin to notice that other family members trying to help him are calling me complaining that he was rude to them. So, i took it upon myself to readvise him in the ways this side of his family treats each other. He blew up at me completely saying many hurtful things. Which spurred me to say a few things myself that I will forever regret. I havent given up on him. I never will. I just need to find a different way to build his confidence. While doing so I need to protect my new family. My parents are in their 80s, and my new Son is 4, so it is tough. Seems everyone has a set plan as to how we should progress this relationship, but no one has the patience. So before any more feelings are hurt I gave him some space to think. Ultimately, I think I figured out that things will be great, even if scary at first. I plan to take him fishing in 2 days. Just me and him if i can convince him to leave his family behind for a few hours. I have told him how proud I was of him for knowing better then to follow in his moms footsteps. Since his brother is only 4, we share alot of the same fears. I tell him everyday I love him, and I`ll always be there for him when he needs emotional support. To be completely honest though. I have never been so terrified in all my life, scared I`ll say something stupid. Anyways. It always feels better knowing then spend even more years wondering. Going on day 6 of no sleep over this though. It`s tough because I was adopted. I met my Bio Dad, he hated my life, and got arrested driving home, because he stopped at a bar down the street. I may never talk to my dad again, but at least I know now why. Atleast I felt better knowing I had the choice, but decided to protect my family from him.

I'm sorry that you're granddaughter's teacher sometimes calls her the wrong name. I'm a third grade teacher. I sometimes call students the wrong name, too. It's certainly not because I don't care or because I don't take the time to learn the students' names. Even when there aren't other students with the same or similar names in the class, I have taught hundreds of students in the past. I may be confusing their name with another name. I'm the youngest child in my family of five siblings. My mom frequently called me the wrong name and she's the one who named me! Teachers are, after all, human and we sometimes make mistakes. I am frequently surprised when I visit this forum that people are reluctant to talk to the teacher when there's a problem. It seems like teachers get a bad rap without just cause. (However, in the case of the original poster, I believe the teacher is erring too much on the side of caution.)

As far as open houses go, everyone in a family is allowed to go. Grandparents, aunts, cousins, whatever. It's a chance for the kids to show off things that they've done at school. When my DS has open house, we roll in with a posse! There's probably 10 of us that go. Even X's GF and FDH. Isn't that why it's called OPEN house? As far as the jealousy thing, we have experienced that as well. But I would caution your husband on saying anything. These things can go to the extreme. He may want the son to give him more attention, but that could turn into alienating the SF, whom he lives with, and cause an uncomfortable situation in the home where his son is most of the time. Those feelings of jealousy will pass. I wonder if his jealousy isn't really more of an insecurity at the fact that he doesn't live with his kids anymore. I was jealous of X's GF. But what really makes me jealous is not necessarily what SHE does, but more of my own feelings of insecurity. She gets to have him for all the fun times and I have him when things have to be serious and organized. That's my own insecurity because I'd rather be spending time with him instead of the 12 hours I'm away from him at work. But I know that he's well cared for while he's there and he's happy. She's young and fun and has no kids so she plays with him as if she's his age. And I think that's very special......now lol! Not to mention, he is only 6. Still VERY young. He loves everyone that loves him. There's nothing wrong with that. And what's wrong with SF loving the children? Isn't it that the more people that love the children then better? I can't imagine that anyone would want a person living in a home with their child to not love their kid. What a miserable home that would be!