Asking Eric: Son-in-Law Didn’t Deliver Mother’s Day Card
- A grandmother, known as Card-Carrying, gave a Mother's Day card to her daughter for her grandsons, ages 10 and 7, to sign, but her son-in-law refused to deliver the gift.
- Assuming a second greeting would be redundant, the son-in-law withheld the card and advised Card-Carrying to "Save it for next year."
- Columnist Eric Thomas compared the resulting miscommunication to a "game of Telephone" after Card-Carrying passed the card through her daughter because she could not see the grandsons in time.
- To prevent future issues, Thomas suggests the grandmother simply send a greeting from herself, noting the logistical challenge of getting the grandsons to sign the card created the sticking point.
- Maintaining strong grandparent relationships requires emotional safety and flexibility, Thomas notes, advising families to prioritize relational support over the volume of gifts or cards sent to family members.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Asking Eric: Hint for over-gifting grandma - minimalist parents may prefer you ask first
Dear Eric: As someone with two small children, a small home and a preference for minimalist living, I found myself sympathizing with the son and daughter-in-law here referenced in the letter from “Insulted Grandmother,” who was hurt that her family didn’t immediately open one of the “love boxes” of gifts she sent.
Asking Eric: A large gift doesn’t always mean ‘love’ to recipient, especially when life is chaotic
Dear Eric: As someone with two small children, a small home and a preference for minimalist living, I found myself sympathizing with the son and daughter-in-law here referenced in the letter from “Insulted Grandmother,” who was hurt that her family didn’t immediately open one of the “love boxes” of gifts she sent.
Asking Eric: My son-in-law didn’t follow instructions for the card I got his wife
Dear Eric: I had a Mother’s Day card for my daughter, but needed her sons, ages 10 and 7, to sign it. Since I did not see them in time for Mother’s Day, I gave it to my daughter to give to them.When I inquired about the card, my daughter’s husband said he had decided not to give the card because he had already done cards for her. He said, “Save it for next year.”
Denver Post
Asking Eric: Son-in-law didn’t deliver Mother’s Day card
Advice columnist R. Eric Thomas answers his readers' questions in this June 17, 2026 edition of Asking Eric.
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