If and when you take your daughters name off. what are you going to tell your MIL about the missing names. She will ask.

Is this issue worth a life time of grief? What does her dad say about this? Maybe he could talk to his mom.

MIL may just have to ask what happens with the names, if I can even get them off. My husband as well as his brother have both asked her to stop doing this, and she won't listen.

The Sharpie issue is not worth a lifetime of grief, no - just wanted to know if anybody had any quick solutions, as I've spent a large part of the day reading books with my daughter.

Her relationship with her kids is has been strained for years on all fronts, and this is a very small part of a much, much larger problem. I try to stay out of it as much as possible and limit my interactions with her. There are some very serious issues, unfortunately, and I leave the dealings with her to my husband and his brother.

I really like Woodster's idea with the sticker/label. I used to have the same problem and ended up just covering it with another mark but that can ruin the item also.

I use sharpie on plastic all the time (in my classroom and at home!)and remove it all the time. I've even removed it from the glossy paper folders I use for my students. I use dry-erase cleaner and off it comes. If it is on fabric, I don't have a clue. Sorry.

Depends on the surface whether you can remove it. If the Sharpie has been used to write on paper, you are out of luck. But on a non-porous surface like plastic, white board, glass or sealed wood, just write over the Sharpie ink with a dry-erase marker. Let it dry completely and wipe off with a cloth or tissue. Usually works for me. Good luck. Inside a book you might just simply cover the entire area with adhesive-backed paper, hopefully not see through. Could also spray with photo adhesive and cover with opaque paper. All the best with this problem. and with MIL!

Sorry that the signing of the gift books is a problem.

It is 'Tradition". I buy lots of old books on different subjects and sewing. Almost all of them are signed as you describe. i.e. To (somebody) from (somebody) Christmas 1918. Or what ever the occasion was ? graduation etc.
People have borrowed so many books from me and not returned them that I put an address label in my books now. Or I put my signature on pg. 50 or 500.

I have also decided to not lend any more books. Too much loss!

Acetone Nail Polish remover should do the trick! Also, I second the dry erase marker trick.

Sorry to hear about your MIL problem but you're right that it is up to your husband to deal with (or try to). This site might help you if you don't know about it already. www.motherinlawstories.com

OH NO I just did this today! I bought My granddaughter a beautiful doll crib that i hope is taken care of so she will have it for her children some day and in sharpie I wrote happy 9th Birthday , the date and signed it love grandma and grandpa. I have the doll crib that was my moms when she was a little girl and I wish it was dated. I know it was bought used when she got it and she is 80 so it is nearly 100 years old.

I used to run the chemical warehouse for a major university so I know this works. Alcohol will work but it has to be very strong, not the kind you can purchase at Walmart. Usually a 95% (which is 190 proof) but it can also take out any other color and isn't the safest thing to work with. Test it first and do it in a well ventilated area. Actually I wouldn't want to use it on anything that a child would be handling. 409 will usually take it off non-porous surfaces, sometimes hairspray and constant blotting with fresh paper towels will take it out of fabric. Nothing will get Sharpie ink off paper. On books, I'd just get some pretty PERMANENT stickers to put over the writing. And I'd get the aggravating MIL a very fine point Sharpie.