Q My son has come home from university having finished his degree, and starting and then flunking out of a master’s. This was disappointing, but not the end of the world. Since his return, he seems to be lacking in motivation and ambition. I hoped he would want to make his mark on the world, but instead he seems content to laze around and earn nothing. He has also gained a lot of weight.
I know he is depressed and he has seen a doctor and is taking medication. I want to shake some sense into him and demand that he make something of himself after all the sacrifices I have had to make as a single mother. Name supplied
A Author JK Rowling says that for all her success, the thing she’s proudest of is her time as a single mother. It’s rare to get a pat on the back – in fact, I’m aware of a tendency to blame myself for whatever happens. Maybe we get so used to taking responsibility that it edges over into believing that it’s all down to us, all the time.