ArcaMax

Dear Annie: Many of the letters to you complain of ungrateful children and adults who don't send thank-you's, don't call, or who are otherwise ungrateful. Too often, children (aka future adults) are taught to be takers, not givers, so they don't build habits of giving, giving back, or sending replies. Let's change that. Starting early, let's ...Read more

Dear Annie: My sister-in-law of more than 40 years has again done something that I feel is disrespectful. She has taken one of my granddaughters under her wing. What's wrong with that?

A few years ago, our then-21-year-old granddaughter moved in with us to save money. We gave her three months, rent-free, to get on her feet; her grandfather ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have close friends who in the past few years have gravitated to both the far left and far right of the sociopolitical spectrum.

It has made it hard on both my wife and me, as we sit somewhere in the middle. Today's environment does not seem to allow for compromise or conversations of differing opinions.

I love my friends dearly...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married for over 20 years to a woman who has been a good mom, but not a woman I am in love with. I care about her tremendously, but I have lost all interest in her romantically. She refuses to work to help with the rising cost of living and impending college tuition for two older teenage kids. She doesn't really keep a ...Read more

Dear Annie: My wife and I have been married coming on 19 years. We have two kids. Since we had children, she never seems to want to be intimate with me -- so much so that she went to her general doctor for some help. That was three years ago.

She finally figured things out and determined that it was stress-related.

I take care of the kids ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a woman in my 80s, and I like to sit and enjoy my morning daily cup of tea looking out of the upstairs window of my home. The window faces the street and has Venetian blinds that I can adjust horizontally.

One day, a male neighbour in his 40s was walking to his car that was parked on the street near the front of my house. He ...Read more

Dear Annie: My son and his fiancee are getting married next month at the courthouse in the city where they live. Due to their feelings about COVID-19 and the travel involved (they live in another state), family is not invited and they will only have their two attendants.

They plan on having another ceremony for family and friends in 2022.

...Read more

Dear Annie: After years of fiscal discipline, my wife and I have paid off our mortgage. We contemplated having a mortgage-burning party to celebrate but were advised this would be in poor taste and akin to bragging. While we are justifiably proud, we don't wish to offend anyone. What is your opinion? -- Paid in Full

Dear Paid: I would advise ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am depressed and deeply heartbroken over the final breakup with a man whom I have loved for eight years. I went to endless therapy and even went to a wellness center in Germany to help me get over him. Nothing has worked. Here's the backstory.

"Steve" has hurt me deeply many times, and after a few weeks or months of my begging ...Read more

Dear Annie: I was troubled by one particular sentence in the letter from "Missing Love," who wanted another relationship after his wife died. He said, "My problem is that I still love her."

My husband died four years ago, and I can assure Missing Love that he will continue to love his wife, and that is a FACT, not a "problem." What lame sort ...Read more

Dear Annie: My son and daughter-in-law have been married for about three years. She used to be a very nice girl when dating my son. When they told me they were getting married, it was just so that she could be put on my son's health insurance because she couldn't work anymore. I was still happy. She sold her house and moved into his house.

I ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are 72 and have had a good life together, raising two boys who have become really good men. Their wives and our grandchildren are the best. Here's my dilemma: We're meeting with a financial planner in a week, and we were given papers to read and questions to answer prior to the actual appointment.

The final ...Read more

Dear Annie: I come from a large family. Our mother died at a young age (39), and there were seven children at that time. Years later, our father married a woman with three children. One of our sisters lived with our mother's parents until their deaths.

Eventually, our father and stepmother had a child.

The child living with our grandparents ...Read more

Dear Annie: Recently, you published a letter in which someone recommended putting a stamp on an election ballot, even if it had already had prepaid return postage, in order to hasten its delivery. That isn't how it works.

The bulk-mail misunderstanding may stem from some election bureaus sending the blank ballots or applications to voters via...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been with my boyfriend for 15 years. He has been a great dad to my three sons. He cooks, cleans, changes diapers and takes care of my sons when they are sick. He has no children of his own. I am 20 years his senior. Our sex life was great for about 11 or so years. But it's gone downhill. He always wants to be intimate when I...Read more

Dear Annie: I have an aunty who has been there for me since my childhood. She has always had my back. My mum is absent, and this aunty the one who has filled in for her all these years. Years back, I felt like I could tell her anything and she would understand me. I adored her so much, still do. But recently, I began to feel a disconnect ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have been married for 34 years. Like all couples, there have been ups and downs. We have seen several counselors over the years to work with us in tough times. During those times, we still had intimacy in our marriage. We are now going on 15 months with no intimacy at all. She just says she can't because she does not feel ...Read more

Dear Annie: My wife and I are drifting apart. I'm a recovering alcoholic of four years. I put her through a lot when I was drinking. When I got sober, I put my recovery first. I went to a lot of meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous and put her second. Now, she is seeing someone else.

I think at this point it's only an emotional affair, not a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I love my wife. We've been married for 11 years, but recently, she hasn't been taking my side with anything involving our 14-year-old son. She tells me that I am overreacting or being stubborn. OK, I know I can be stubborn, but I firmly believe a child should show respect to his parents. Right now, my problem is that I can't do a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I am a worried mother. My 14-year-old daughter is on a social media site with her friends. She was at a birthday party last Saturday, and apparently, all sorts of photos were taken. One of the girls posted a picture and purposefully cropped her face out of the photo, with some type of hashtag about my daughter being a nerd and no ...Read more