Dear Prudence,
My son (11) recently shared more than one incredibly embarrassing but also inappropriate story about me from when I was a teenager. These came from my parents, and I could not believe they told him these stories, especially the most recent one.
It was about a boyfriend and me getting caught doing sexual acts. They then told my son he was not to tell me he knew and had to promise not to say they told him. The details of the stories were also not quite right and slightly exaggerated, and I kind of wonder if they knew this when telling them.
Obviously, I was horrified. They’ve also been overstepping in other ways (don’t tell your mom I bought you this, gave you this candy, or talked about her at all, etc). My son cannot keep a secret to save his life, but nor should he have too. I taught him from a young age to be open with me in order to keep him safe. (I was abused by a neighbor as a child so that’s where that comes from.) Anyway, I am at my wit’s end. I’m so angry at my parents, but I haven’t said anything yet because I’m worried I’ll explode. What is the best way to end this constant breaking of boundaries? I know it will keep happening, and I don’t think they care how I feel.
—What the Fudge