DEAR ABBY: I have been married for almost five years, and my husband and I recently decided to try to have a baby. I am really excited about the possibility of being a mom. My problem is, my parents and his parents don’t want to be grandparents. I will be 30 this year, and they […]

DEAR ABBY: My son, ”Jimmy,” is 8. His father and I are divorced, and he is facing jail time. Jimmy sees him every other weekend. I’m planning on telling Jimmy the truth, although I’m sure his dad will want me to lie and say he needs to ”work out of town” for a while, or […]

DEAR ABBY: My stepmother had a recipe for meatloaf that she found in your column years ago. She made it for us often when we visited and we all loved it. However, we have been unable to locate that recipe anywhere and don’t remember how to make it. Could you reprint the recipe for me? […]

DEAR ABBY: As the only income earner in our household of five, I work long hours. Sometimes I would enjoy talking about my day with my wife of 18 years. While she has no problem staying awake to watch TV or going out with her friends on the weekend, she usually falls asleep right in […]

DEAR ABBY: My friend has decided she can no longer tolerate my husband. She feels he doesn’t ”respect” her. This is far from the truth, in my mind. We have supported her emotionally and financially from time to time for many years. My husband does have a habit of making clunky jokes (anything for a […]

DEAR ABBY: I have known for a long time that once both of my parents were gone, I would cease contact with my brothers. My problem is how to explain it to other family members and friends. I don’t want to go into the details about my reasons. I feel it would hurt my parents […]

DEAR ABBY: When I was in my 20s I chose a career whose long-term effects I hadn’t anticipated. I am charged with telling people they are dying and watching them die on a daily basis. While I know I am good at it, it leaves me emotionally drained. I manage to muster up enough energy […]

DEAR ABBY: We have some great friends we have known for five years. Our families enjoy time together, and although the friendship started through our kids, I now get together with the other mom outside of kid-related activities. Her son, ”Michael,” and my daughter (ages 12) are best friends in middle school, and I truly […]

DEAR ABBY: My fiancee has a death wish. She recently lost her youngest child to suicide. She’s in a lot of pain and rarely has a good day. She suffers from PTSD and relives the scene daily in her mind. She’s a hard worker, so that helps to keep her mind off things. She lives […]