DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have two children and live close to my family. We spend lots of quality time with them, and they are invested in our children’s lives, as we are in theirs. The same is not true of my in-laws. The first few years I would FaceTime and call, trying to […]
Dear Abby
Marriage, middle-aged son stuck in time for 30 years
DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married since 1968. The last time we were intimate was in 1984. The house is in both of our names. Nine years ago, she asked one of our sons to come live with us. She never asked me how I felt about it. Our son continues to […]
Young adults refuses to pay portion of health coverage
DEAR ABBY: When my husband and I married a year ago, I dropped my health insurance plan and joined his family plan, since he also provides coverage for his children, including one who is an adult. There was no additional cost to add me. However, months later, the insurance company raised the monthly premium for […]
Relationship with new DIL gets off to a rough start
DEAR ABBY: Right after high school, our son joined the military and left home. We are proud of him and keep in touch mostly by phone because he’s stationed across the country. Since he has been away, he met a young lady on a dating website. I met her briefly on a quick visit. I […]
Where relative goes, the bugs soon follow
DEAR ABBY: One of my family members is a loner. I’m the closest relative to them. They invite my children and me over for holiday dinners, but the house is dirty with roaches galore. The bugs even crawl on you during the day on the couch. I don’t want to go there for this reason. […]
Father feels helpless as marriage crumbles
DEAR ABBY: I have failed in a 30-year relationship and as a father of five. After feeling terrible for a number of years, I was finally diagnosed with a blood disorder. I was prescribed a chemotherapy pill and, two years later, was diagnosed with extreme neuropathy. Depression set in. I let myself go and rarely […]
Long-distance couple wants to maintain a sexual spark
DEAR ABBY: My fiance and I are engaged to be married soon, but we live (and will continue to live) in separate cities. We are in our mid-50s with children, and it’s the second marriage for each of us. My fiance isn’t very verbal about his desires, but we talk with each other every day […]
Divorcee finds herself in a familiar situation
DEAR ABBY: I was divorced four years ago after a 27-year marriage. Unbeknownst to me, my ex-husband hadn’t paid taxes for 17 years. We were always pretty strapped as a couple and the parents of four. Money was a constant worry, and I foolishly let him handle it all. I am now on my own […]
Mother’s make own parents pay to see the grandkids
DEAR ABBY: I am the mother and stepmother of eight wonderful children. I love them all very much. The problem is my two oldest stepdaughters. Both are in their 20s with kids of their own. Unless their dad and I constantly give them money, we don’t get to see our grandkids. Anytime we refuse, we […]
Family left reeling when dad is fired from his job
DEAR ABBY: My dad is the breadwinner in our family. A few years ago, he got fired for looking at “inappropriate” material at work. When he told us what happened, he described it as a raunchy comedy special. So, being a good son and thinking Dad was wrongfully terminated, I started calling law firms to […]