DEAR ABBY: I was adopted at 6 weeks old. My parents adopted my sister two years later. They weren’t very good parents — not abusive, but with no understanding of how to treat children. Ten years later they had a biological son, who became the center of their world, and I was pretty much left […]

DEAR ABBY: My husband inherited a nasty habit from his mother. He calls people “crazy” to discredit them so he can win arguments and stifle discussion. I have told him it’s lazy to pass judgment on someone that way. It also shows the world how ignorant he is, because he thinks he’ll win every argument […]

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my boyfriend for nine years. Over the last three months or so we have been fighting. It started when I bought a cabinet for our bathroom. When he came home, he threw a hissy fit about it. He told me he didn’t like it and kept yelling at me […]

DEAR ABBY: My younger sister, “Fern,” gave birth to a son three months ago. Since she returned to work, it seems like all she does is dump her baby, “Ricky,” on others so she can sleep with her special someone. I watched Ricky a couple of times while they ran errands, even though they have […]

DEAR ABBY: Every year my girlfriend and I take each other out for dinner on our birthdays and bring a gift. This year, even though I am currently experiencing financial hardship, I bought her a gift and offered her dinner. At the restaurant, she ordered the largest portion of what she wanted. She stated it’s […]

DEAR ABBY: My husband often points out my flaws and shortcomings. For 20 years now, while I try to make changes, I find myself in the same place on most issues. He’s increasingly impatient with me, and I get a daily rundown of what I should or could have done better. I don’t want to […]

DEAR ABBY: A year and a half ago, a newly married young couple moved into a house down the street. A few weeks after they moved in, my husband, my daughter and I went over with a gift to introduce ourselves and welcome them. They were super friendly. My husband told them if they needed […]

DEAR ABBY: I have been with my wife for 25 years, married for 22 of them. I love her very much, but sometimes I feel it isn’t mutual. We have three children, all girls, ranging in age from early teens to mid-20s. My wife also has an older son from a previous marriage. My complaint […]

DEAR ABBY: About a year ago, I started a long-distance relationship with a widower. His wife died four years ago. He told me he slept on the couch a long time and got very little sleep after her death, because he couldn’t stand sleeping alone. He has two dogs and had never allowed them on […]

DEAR ABBY: I am the oldest of three. We grew up in an abusive alcoholic family. I’m considered the “failure” of the family because I don’t drink. I graduated from college, work full time, got married and have a pretty stable life. Both of my younger siblings drink and use drugs, and their lives are […]