DR. WALLACE: I would like to add my comment regarding one of your recent columns. An additional threat to a baby of a drug-addicted mother is that the baby is born also addicted to whatever the mother had been using and must adjust to no longer having access to the drug. This process requires many hours of holding and rocking the baby by volunteers or paid helpers at the hospital at which the baby was delivered, as I learned from an obstetrical registered nurse. The number of such babies, she reported to me, has become overwhelming recently. — Susan D., via email

SUSAN: Thank you for taking the time to point this out and share it with our readers. I suspect the national opioid epidemic has a lot to do with the situation the nurse described to you. No matter what substance impacts a newborn child, society should urgently seek to both educate and reduce the dangers of this exposure. Every baby deserves the opportunity to start life with as much health and love as possible.

HAS DAD CHANGED HIS BEHAVIOR?

DR. WALLACE: About a year ago, our mother got a legal separation from our father. Needless to say, this caused big changes around our household. You might be surprised to hear that my sister and I were actually thrilled with this development. Why? Our father was rude, crude and cantankerous the majority of the time — due to his huge drinking problem. When he was living with us, we were a very dysfunctional family. But since he has been out of the house, our daily lives have improved tremendously. My sister and I have been able to settle into a very stable routine since he left. We are doing well in school, as there is consistent love that mother provides, plus the peace and quiet that allows us to concentrate well on our homework and related academic activities. We even feel comfortable inviting friends to our house now that dad and his temper have "left the building."

My sister and I haven't seen our father since he left, but our mother recently told us that she has had dinner with him several times over the past month. We weren't happy to hear that Mom was seeing Dad again, but there was nothing we could do except voice our opinion politely to her.

Last week our mother dropped a "bombshell" on us, saying that she and dad have "kissed and made up" and next month he's going to move back into our house. My sister and I were shocked and disappointed to hear this news.

We don't want to start family turmoil by telling Mom that we don't want Dad back in the house, but the fact is, we don't. Mom says Dad has changed and wants to prove he loves us and wants us to be a complete family again.

What should my sister and I do to maintain the terrific life we presently have? — Nervous Sisters, via email

NERVOUS SISTERS: It's up to your mother to prove to you that Dad really is a changed man. Ask her to set up a meeting with him in advance of him moving back in where the two of you can express your concerns and ask pertinent questions that would help you gauge his sincerity. You should certainly seek to find out what steps he has taken to get his drinking under control.

If he has indeed changed, he deserves the chance to prove it to you, your sister and your mother. But seek to get a commitment from Mom that if Dad goes back to his old ways, he will be asked to leave. Explain that your current home life atmosphere is excellent and that it must be maintained — with or without him. A happy family without a father present daily in the home is much better off than a miserable one saddled with a dysfunctional father disrupting the harmony on a regular basis.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: at Pixabay