DEAR MISS MANNERS: We have a household member who has very bad manners. He lies around on the couch all day, expects us to provide all his meals and has never even offered to help with the dishes.
He also has atrocious hygiene habits, resulting in horrible breath. He tracks in dirt and leaves from the yard. We don’t even try to plant flowers or grow a garden because he ruins any landscaping he sees.
Sometimes, when I am ready to turn in for the night, I will find him asleep in my bed! I will have to actually wake him up and ask him to get out of my bed so I can go to sleep. Worst of all, he regularly wakes up my husband in the middle of the night just to announce that he needs to use the restroom. This happens almost every night!
We love him very much, but we just don’t know how to address these issues. I swear, if he pees on another bush during a family walk, I just might lose it.
GENTLE READER: Does he happen to be your pet? Or your son? He doesn’t sound all that lovable to Miss Manners, but then, she is not his parent.
Your choices are:
1. Engage in some overdue training.
2. Lose it.
You will notice that the former would have the least serious consequences.