Dear Prudence,
I always knew my mom wanted more children, but she and my late father only had me. My dad died my senior year in high school and my mom took it very, very hard—especially since I was going out of state for school. So when she started dating “Paul,” I was happy even if it felt fast to me (they got married six months after dating).
Paul has two children that he is estranged from. Both got into drugs and did time in prison. Paul and my mom have had temporary custody of two of his grandchildren. My mom is over the moon because the kids have started calling her mommy. She refers to them as my siblings and pushes me to video chat with them.
This feels like a red flag to me. Even if it looks like the mother isn’t going to get her act together, my mother isn’t their mother, adoptive or otherwise right now. But my mother is going all in. I don’t want her to get hurt or hurt these kids if they have to leave. I just can’t find the right words. Can you help me?
—All In