ArcaMax

DEAR ABBY: My stepdaughter is married to a very selfish man. They have a newborn baby, and he refuses to help her with the baby. He claims that because he works, he isn't obligated.

She cares for the baby 24/7 and does all the housework, cooking, etc. If she asks him to feed the baby in the morning, he says, I'm hungry, so I have to have...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I was married for more than 30 years and have two grown children. The marriage wasn't perfect, and I admit there were times when I badly wanted to walk out the door. My husband was charismatic and talented, but he was also an addict. I covered up most of his bad behaviors so our children would be protected from being hurt. He passed ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister-in-law Brenda often takes it upon herself to change a baby's diaper during social gatherings with family. She never bothers to ask the baby's parents if it's OK to do this, and they never solicit her help. For years, I found it a bit strange, but never said anything to Brenda or another family member.

Some time ago, my in-...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 22-year-old woman who was adopted. I recently started dating an amazing man who happens to be of another race. My parents, whom I love very much, told me that if I stay with him, they will disown me. They have made many horrible comments about my relationship, and I'm at a loss about what to do. I love them, but I also love my ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My son-in-law Kirk has issues with closing doors, kitchen cabinets and refrigerator doors. Three times my daughter has had to throw out food because it spoiled. He doesn't close cereal boxes, bags of candy or chips, either.

My husband and I tolerated Kirk's behavior until a recent visit to our home. He again left the door to our ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm 35 and have been a widower for almost five years. I began dating about two years ago.

In my adventures of dating I have encountered a lot of divorced moms. I met someone very special (I'll call her Rose) a year and a half ago. She's great. We share lots of laughs and goals, but she does something that drives me crazy. She's ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been together since we were 21, and he has always had a distant relationship with his parents. I encouraged him during the first few years of our marriage to call them and visit. I stopped doing that after his mom and I had some choice words.

If he wants a relationship with them, that is up to him. The problem ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My family and I bought a house in a nice, quiet, safe neighborhood three years ago. What we didn't know prior to moving in was that our next-door neighbor sometimes smokes cigarettes.

It rains eight months out of the year here, and we usually keep our windows closed, so it isn't an issue. But during the summer, we like to sleep with ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: The 22-year-old daughter of close friends of ours has been living in a van during the pandemic. Her parents, my husband and I heard her on her cellphone talking about a party where her friends were doing meth. No one reacted except me. I said, That's terrifying! and she answered, Right?

I cannot stop worrying about this young ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been together for 11 years, married for eight. We have been through a lot together, which has served to strengthen our marriage. My husband is my Prince Charming and my happily forever after.

Recently, he has discovered that he likes wearing women's clothes. It started with him wearing women's underwear under ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have been with Dylan for three years, engaged for two. I have a lot of insecurities about it.

We met right after my husband's death. Dylan was the perfect guy in the beginning. Looking back, I realize there were a lot of red flags.

He spends most of his time on Facebook or talking about his high school years. He is also secretive....Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am thinking about asking my stepdaughter Gwen (37 years old with a husband and three kids) if she would like me to adopt her. I married her mother when Gwen was 2. We divorced when she was 8 or 9, so we were out of contact for about 25 years.

Gwen really dislikes her father. Her mother and I have patched things up, so much so that ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am 25 and live with my parents. My 28-year-old sister lives in a condo about 10 minutes away. She just graduated from school and moved back here, which means she doesn't have many friends in the city.

For the last five months, she has been coming over for dinner like clockwork every day and every weekend. I'm still finding ways to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I grew up in an extremely conservative, rural area of northeast Mississippi in the '60s. I came out as gay to my mom when I was 13 in 1970, and she said three things to me that set the course for a lifetime of love. As she hugged me, she said, I will always love you, no matter what. Then, looking me straight in the eye, she thanked me...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Since the coronavirus lockdown began, my wife and I have been cooped up together all day, every day. Though we have lived together for 35 years, she's now discovering that I don't cook vegetables correctly. (It goes without saying that I'm no longer allowed to prepare the entrees.)

I don't sort the trash the way she thinks it should ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband's nephew passed away last week. He was only 26, and it was a complete shock. No one realized he was using drugs. My husband is attending the funeral (a nine-hour drive) and will be gone for four days. We have two children, ages 7 and 9, and because of the pandemic, we've decided I will stay home with them.

I'm writing to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I realize that social media is a big part of today's world, and I have no problem with someone using it to stay in contact with family and friends. But at what point is it deemed an addiction?

My significant other spends hours every day scrolling through his Facebook and Twitter pages. I have tried discussing it with him, but it ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: While researching my family, I discovered that my now-elderly mother was charged with the murder of a toddler 40 years ago, before I was born. She was never convicted and never mentioned it. However, after reading her testimony and things she's said after the incident, I have no doubt she is guilty.

This has me reeling because she ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I need help moving past the end of a longtime friendship. I don't know what happened. My friend, my former college roommate, just drifted away.

After school we continued to be friends -- not besties, but we would meet for coffee or dinner a few times a year. Fast-forward 25 years. She called me the day she left her husband, 10 years ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm 54 and afraid to tell my spouse I want a divorce even though I'm in an unhappy marriage. I told him years ago that I no longer loved him and didn't want to be married anymore. His reply, I have enough love for both of us.

This year will be our 15th together. I am spouse No. 3. I think he thinks that if there isn't another ...Read more