Dear Sidney,

So far the weather is being grand and just like it was when I was a child visiting my grandparents in Crestline. Not too hot with gentle breezes.

I have one child age 10. Her father and I are divorced. He is remarried and has another child. The problem is his wife.

I’ve never been given his cell phone number, if he has one; I’m to call their house phone. When a problem arises concerning our child, the new wife always answers the phone or calls me back in response to my voicemail. She’s a tree-hugging social worker and enjoys giving me parental advice. The ex-husband has visitation rights every other weekend, so I’m forced to turn over our child to the pompous busybody, who arrives on Friday evening to pick up my daughter. Watching the car drive away, you can’t imagine my sorrow.

When my daughter returns, she does not share the weekend happenings with me. She doesn’t want to talk about it. In fact, she’s told me it is none of my business. This is hurtful and worrisome.

Do you have any advice concerning this situation for an emotional wreck?

Single Mom in Crestline

Dear Single Mom,

Here in California the divorce rate is a whopping 60 percent. Yes, sadly 60 percent of marriages end up in divorce court. Wait! The statistics for San Bernardino County show a 9.5-percent divorce rate? Well, my Googling for facts is turning up a lot of hooey.

All I can really say is that “y’all should have stayed together for the kid” and saved yourselves a lot of heartache. Eighteen years of raising a child goes by pretty darned quick. Then you both coulda-shoulda-woulda gone on your merry ways.

We live in a no-fault divorce state, so I’m not putting the blame on either one of you. But now you’ve got communication problems and the upset of having to put your daughter in the middle of it. Don’t share your aggravation with your daughter. She’s only 10 years old. But if something is out of whack over at Daddy’s, she’ll be letting you know soon enough.

Oh, this whole darned thing just gets me worked up. I’m sorry I can’t fix it for you.

Sidney

Send your questions for Sidney to [email protected] or by snail mail to Dear Sidney, The Alpine Mountaineer, P.O. Box 4572, Crestline, CA 92325.

This advice is intended for entertainment purposes only. No animals were harmed in the writing of this column.