DEAR ABBY: I am wondering why pregnant women these days don’t wear smocks like we all wore years ago. While I do think pregnant women are attractive, I really don’t want to see their swollen bellies. Wouldn’t it be better to just “imagine” what is under that smock or long skirt? Does anyone agree with […]

DEAR ABBY: Due to various anti-drug lectures he was exposed to at school, my 13-year-old son believes that marijuana is not only illegal, but also is very bad for you. He said it is poison. My state has recently legalized marijuana and I am at a loss about how to explain to him that pot […]

DEAR ABBY: I have been in a relationship for two years. We gave each other our phone passwords as soon as we made it official to avoid keeping things from each other. One night I had a sudden urge to go through his phone. I had never done it before, and when I looked at […]

DEAR ABBY: Your answer to “Heartbroken in Alabama” (Jan. 2) did not go deep enough. The pregnant sister, “Nicole,” who is facing prison time, needs to contact the Department of Children’s Services in her county/state as soon as possible. They will oversee the placement of her child if said child is born in jail or […]

DEAR ABBY: My 11-year-old daughter, “Gwen,” just started middle school. She makes good grades, but she’s strong-willed. Do kids grow up instantly when they start middle school? She wants to know if she can have a boyfriend. I told her not until she’s 15. Now she’s flirting with girls who ask her out. I told […]

DEAR ABBY: I have been married for 40 years. Like all married couples, we have had our ups and downs, but we have a good marriage. We have two children and five grandchildren. I wouldn’t change anything, except I never had an engagement ring. My husband has bought jewelry for me over the years, but […]

DEAR ABBY: My sister has children younger than mine, but the kids all play together frequently. She recently caught them involved in a game of “truth or dare” and a couple of the kids had no clothes on. While I was surprised to hear it and have spoken to my children about it, it seems […]

DEAR ABBY: When I was in my early 20s, I had a baby boy I placed for adoption. I could barely take care of myself, let alone a newborn. The father wanted nothing to do with me or the baby, so I placed him with his relatives out of state, who adopted him. With counseling, […]

DEAR ABBY: I work in a palliative care unit in a local hospital, and I’m all too aware of how important it is to have one’s end-of-life wishes documented, notarized and on-hand in case of an emergency. I remember reading an essay that appeared in your column years ago; it eloquently described the desire of […]