DEAR ABBY: I’m in my mid-30s and about a year ago I went from limited contact to no contact with two siblings and my mother. No single incident caused this, nor was there any history of childhood abuse, etc. I just find I am much happier without their presence in my life. I am married, […]
Dear Abby
Woman feels little connection to mom begging her for money
DEAR ABBY: I was born into a poor family, and my father gave me up for adoption to his well-to-do sister. My narcissistic adoptive mother severely abused me physically, mentally and emotionally as a child, and tormented me financially as an adult. I no longer speak to her. My biological mother has been attempting to […]
Wife grows anxious as man grows closer to her sister
DEAR ABBY: I’ve been married to my husband for 21 years. We’ve had our ups and downs, but our relationship is solid. For the last year, I have watched as my husband has become closer to my sister. It started with phone calls every once in a while to check on how she’s doing. (She […]
Husband is unsettled by his attraction to another man
DEAR ABBY: I am a 57-year-old married man. I share a house with my wife and daughter. After dinner last month, my wife and I had a big fight. I can’t believe the things we said. In 30 years, it has never gone that far. I left the house and went to a bar. A […]
Happily unmarried couple reaches impasse over kids
DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have been dating for more than a decade. We’re nearly 30 now. We are happy not being married, and we both agreed early in our relationship that we would not have kids. All of a sudden, my boyfriend has decided he wants children. I said maybe in the future, […]
Mom can’t be optimistic about son’s engagement
DEAR ABBY: My son is engaged to a young woman I’ll call Carla. They are currently living with my husband and me to save money and pay off bills. They fight often. Because of this, my husband and I were not excited when they flippantly announced their engagement and also flippantly announced their wedding date […]
Daughter-in-law reaches out to icy family’s new fiancee
DEAR ABBY: I am very lucky to have wonderful in-laws. I have been married to their son for five years and together for 10. We have one child. My in-laws are divorced but friendly, and my husband has one brother. My question revolves around my brother-in-law’s new fiancee, “Tami.” They dated only a short time […]
Dear Abby: Try sharing the in-laws’ dynamics
DEAR ABBY: I am very lucky to have wonderful in-laws. I have been married to their son for five years and together for 10. We have one child. My in-laws are divorced but friendly, and my husband has one brother. My question revolves around my brother-in-law’s new fiancee, “Tami.” They dated only a short time […]
Woman is trapped by guilt in an accidental friendship
DEAR ABBY: Years ago, I was friendly with a man from work who was very close to his mom. She came along with us once for lunch and ended up really liking me. From that point on, whenever he and I would get together for lunch, she would tag along. At one point, without my […]
Daughter plans a wedding without a marriage license
DEAR ABBY: My daughter, “Heidi,” is 39. She is successful, owns her own business and lives with her boyfriend of five years. I’ll call him Rick. They have two beautiful boys, 3 and 18 months. She has decided to tie the knot with Rick with a nice, somewhat big wedding. As Heidi has gotten older, […]