DEAR ABBY: When my son “Lyle” told my husband and me that his wife, “Becky,” was leaving him and taking their kids where he would not be able to see them, we were shocked. Lyle consulted an attorney, filed for divorce that day, and got a restraining order to keep Becky from running off with […]

DEAR ABBY: I have two sons, 19 and 12. My younger boy has a rare form of kidney disease. His kidney function is currently normal, but his doctor says that in the future he may need a new kidney. At that point, his brother would be high on the list for compatibility and availability. I, […]

DEAR ABBY: I have always felt proud that I have never had any racist thoughts. Since the births of my three children, I have tried to instill in them that we are all God’s children, no matter the color of our skin. The problem is, my husband is a racist. He doesn’t like anyone who […]

DEAR ABBY: I read the letter from “On My Own in Bloomington, Ind.” (Aug. 5), who needed a ride to her colonoscopy appointment but didn’t have transportation. Your suggestions were admirable, but there is another service you should be aware of. Many states have a 2-1-1 Information and Referral Service, often sponsored by the local […]

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were on vacation out of state with our four young children, staying at a large resort that offered a free buffet breakfast. While my husband tended to the children’s beverages and eating utensils, I stood in line to make waffles for everyone. (There were three waffle irons available.) As […]

DEAR ABBY: My mother watches my two children before and after school and during the breaks. She is a caring person, but she is also very critical of my daughter. (She’s fine with my son.) Mom constantly tells my daughter she needs to lose weight or exercise more, or her hair looks stringy, or she […]

DEAR ABBY: I have been dating “Mindy” for a little more than a year, and mostly we get along. The one thing that is not working is Mindy likes to have long talks on the phone, usually very late into the night. When I get sleepy and tell her I’m going to bed, she either […]

DEAR ABBY: I have worked as a nanny for many years for a divorced professional woman. She has a son and a daughter. The son, now 15, is smoking pot. I told his mom, but she’s ignoring the problem. She said: “He’s just experimenting. I want him to get it out of his system before […]

DEAR ABBY: In response to your poll (Aug. 24), “If you had it to do over again, would you have children?” my answer is, “I SURE WOULD!” Being a parent made me a better, more tolerant, more patient person and more willing to take risks. It wasn’t always easy. My son’s father left me when […]

DEAR ABBY: I met my husband, “Jerome,” two years ago. During our courtship, he helped me to find faith. Because of that, I wanted a completely honest relationship with him and confessed to a “less than moral” experience that occurred several years before I met him. Apparently he was able to accept it, because he […]