ArcaMax

Dear Amy: My sister-in-law recently died of Alzheimer’s, and her celebration of life is coming up.

I am an older man. When I was a youth, I had to reside with her and my brother for the summer. My mother was institutionalized due to mental illness; my father had abandoned the family.

At the time I was living with the two of them, I was 15.

...Read more

Dear Amy: My daughter just announced her engagement to her boyfriend, “Clay.”

They are both heavy pot users. Clay is also a convicted felon (for selling narcotics), a college dropout, and has psychiatric and physical health problems.

He picks up occasional work but cannot and does not support her. He can barely support himself. He has ...Read more

Dear Amy: I recently turned 21. I will be the first in my group of friends to graduate from college. This happens in a few weeks.

It feels like life is starting to return to a sense of normalcy as the pandemic recedes, and my friends and I are socializing more outside of our homes – going out dancing, and enjoying the nightlife.

My best ...Read more

Dear Amy: I have a 17-year-old daughter who identifies as a male.

I am OK with this. I am a Christian and attend a traditional Methodist church.

I am involved in a lot of church events, but my child is not.

I am not sure how the church is going to react to my child’s transition. I also don’t know how my side of the family will react. I ...Read more

Dear Amy: I have been in a 20-year relationship with a wonderful man who has been there for me — through thick and thin.

We raised my children together and are now enjoying our grandchildren.

I have been very unhappy in the relationship for the last few years because I've fallen out of love with him.

I don't want to have the grandbabies ...Read more

Dear Amy: I am a 73-year-old man. My wife died three years ago. This year would have been our 50th year of marriage.

Although we had many ups and downs throughout our marriage, we loved each other and raised two wonderful children who now have children of their own. (I also have a daughter from a previous marriage.)

I have many grandchildren ...Read more

Dear Amy: My daughter has been married almost a year.

Her husband is in the military, and they had to get hitched so she could live with him during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

They live on an isolated military base. She takes care of the house, started a business, volunteers for the Red Cross, and has a dog keep her busy.

She just graduated from ...Read more

Dear Amy: My partner, “Chris” just showed me a gift he bought for his adult son. This gift is a “verified” personal calling card once owned by Adolf Hitler (Hitler allegedly gave them out to people he would meet).

Chris purchased this card from an American museum’s rare items collection and spent quite a bit of money for it.

He finds...Read more

Dear Amy: I have read advice in your column suggesting that it is wisest to tell children about their adoption starting very young.

My six-year-old twin grandchildren have never been told that their momma’s eggs came from an egg donor.

The parents are now divorced but are very friendly.

Should they tell the kids?

Their momma carried them ...Read more

Dear Amy: My daughter is 34 years old, single, with no children. She’s intelligent and well educated.

Six months ago, she quit her job in another state and moved into our house. We welcomed her, but it was supposed to be temporary.

She seemed reluctant to come here to begin with, saying that she didn’t want to intrude into our lives. ...Read more

Dear Amy: I have a 9-year-old special needs child. “Kyle” is high-functioning on the autism spectrum, but doesn’t do well with athletics and other “typical” settings that might help a child fit in, make friends, and otherwise have a functional childhood dynamic.

We worry that he is becoming more socially isolated. We are very engaged ...Read more

Dear Amy: My husband, kids, and I live in a different state than most of my family.

We are planning a trip to my family's state and would like to invite my parents and grandmothers to rent a cabin for a few nights.

I don't see my grandmothers often as they are not well enough to travel too far.

I want to be able to enjoy a wonderful and ...Read more

Dear Amy: I'm asking you to weigh in.

My husband thinks that it's fair game to read my computer or phone screen over my shoulder, even when I'm clearly writing or viewing something private.

I've asked him many times over the years not to do this, but he refuses to stop reading my screens. He definitely doesn’t like it when I do it to him.

...Read more

Dear Amy: I am a 32-year-old woman with a 6-year-old son.

I am in a relationship with “Larry,” who is 48. He is not my child's father.

Before meeting Larry, I lived alone and raised my son by myself.

After losing my job, my son and I moved in with my folks. We were financially dependent on them. Over the course of a year I looked for work...Read more

Dear Amy: Fifty-five years ago, when I was young and stupid, I had a child out of wedlock and placed the baby up for adoption.

Fast-forward to now. I am married to a different man and have a 48-year-old daughter and a 38-year-old son.

I have two grandchildren. My husband knows about my indiscretion, but it never comes up in discussion.

...Read more

Dear Amy: My younger sister is 54. She has been divorced three times and has a teenage daughter.

Both of our parents are deceased. My sister currently has a nice boyfriend she has lived with for a few years.

The issue is that she cannot seem to keep a job for longer than a year. She has been terminated from at least six jobs (that I can count)...Read more

Dear Amy: I am a recovering alcoholic, currently celebrating seven years of sobriety.

A dear friend of over 30 years, “Brett,” is in a relationship with an alcoholic woman named “Emily.”

Brett has rescued Emily from drunk-driving accidents before the police arrived. He has picked her up from work for being drunk at lunchtime. The list ...Read more

Dear Amy: My youngest daughter recently gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby boy (our fourth grandchild but first grandson).

I am having difficulty with the baby’s chosen name.

His first name, “Louis,” is after the baby’s father, and a family name — so he is the fourth male to be named that. I find it confusing and ...Read more

Dear Amy: After many years of exchanging gifts with my brother-in-law and his wife, my husband and I decided we didn’t want to do it anymore.

We are trying to get rid of things. We have too much stuff!

The gifts were getting more extravagant and some we didn’t even like or use (and gifts we had given them ended up in their garage sale, so ...Read more