Care and Feeding: Should I try to get ex-husband to apologize to 5-year-old daughter?

I divorced my now-ex-husband, "Brent, after learning he was having an affair with a family friend.

Brent has taken his anger out on our daughter over it.

He has since given up visitation rights and refuses to pay child support.

Do not try to get him to apologize for something that he clearly doesn't feel bad about.

My sister, “Amber,” lives out of state and has a 7-year-old son.

Ben suffers from intermittent explosive disorder and will have extreme, violent tantrums.

Neither I nor my husband feels safe having him around Skylar.

Amber and her family will visit our area next month .

—Jamilah More Advice From Slate I have three wonderful kids and a mother-in-law who feels like my children are another chance for parenting, since she missed out on so much with her son. I have been trying to assert boundaries with her, but it can be hard. To my family, holidays mean spending them together. But every year she wants it to be just her and the grandkids at her house. Nobody else. And the whole separation of it all just bothers me..