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Expert Q&A
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| By Kate Cohen-Posey Therapist | ||
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My niece is 17 and 8 months pregnant and smokes cigarettes like a chimney. She was a runaway for a year, and the boyfriend's mom kicked her out and now she lives with me and my children. She's very irritable, and I'm not sure how to handle this new situation that I am in."
Set firm ground rules. If she refuses to comply with rules or responsibilities you give her, she may have to leave. When she talks disrespectfully, tell her to take some time alone but she needs to show a change in attitude. If she lives in your house, she needs to be a part of the family. If you allow smoking in your house, do not make that an issue even though she is putting her baby at risk. I'm sure she's been told that a hundred times. If you do not allow smoking in your house, stand by your rules. If worse comes to worse, she can live in a homeless shelter, and you might want to drop her off for a night or two to decide if she wants to follow your rules. In most states a pregnant girl is legally emancipated."
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