ArcaMax

Dear Annie: My husband and I have two kids under 5, and we both work full-time. As you can imagine, our lives are pretty hectic. My mother-in-law lives about 30 minutes away and expects us to visit her almost every weekend. If we don't, she lays on the guilt pretty thick -- talking about how she "never sees the kids" or implying we don't value...Read more

Dear Annie: A couple I've been friends with for over 20 years is about to celebrate their daughter's high school graduation. I recently received an invitation from the daughter, and while I was touched to be included, I'm feeling a little conflicted.

Over the past few years, the parents -- who were once very close to me -- have gradually ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm 63 years old, and I live alone in a quiet little house with my dog, Rosie. I like to sit on the porch in the evenings and watch the sun go down, but lately the silence feels heavier than it used to.

My daughter, who is in her 30s, moved to Texas with her husband about a year ago -- and since then, she hasn't spoken to me. Not ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've had dogs all my adult life, and I've always dreaded the moment they start to slow down. That fear of the inevitable was especially strong after my divorce, when I began living alone with the three dogs my ex-wife insisted I take. One passed away peacefully just three months later, as if to spare me the pain of a final trip to ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for nearly 39 years. He has always had a tendency to put himself first -- even before our sons, and now even our toddler grandson -- but I'm at my wits' end over his latest act of selfishness.

His only sister recently suffered a traumatic fall. She was airlifted to a trauma center with a ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been a longtime reader, and a recent column really resonated with me. I'm a couples coach, and I see this pattern often: people who fear conflict tend to suppress their feelings rather than express them. Over time, that silence turns into resentment, and eventually, things explode -- sometimes irreparably.

In the letter you ...Read more

Dear Annie: My boyfriend and I have been together for eight years. We have an 18-year age gap. I'm 39, and he's 57. We have a strong relationship and have been through hell and back together. God blessed us with our 6-month-old son, "Michael." We have a happy little family.

We also work together. There's been a young co-worker constantly ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married to my husband, "David," for nine years. We have two kids, ages 7 and 4. Lately, I've been struggling with how much time he spends on his phone. Every night after dinner, instead of helping with bedtime or talking with me, David disappears into the garage or sits on the couch playing online poker. I've brought it ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a cousin whom I've had a cherished lifelong friendship with.

We meet several times a year halfway between our homes and sometimes at each other's homes with our families. We often would bring each other a little something, such as vegetables from our garden or a loaf of bread from our favorite bakery.

The last time she ...Read more

Dear Annie: When I married my husband, I was completely inexperienced and unaware of his interest in kink. Six months into our marriage, a woman contacted me claiming to be one of his submissives. She said she couldn't live with the guilt of me not knowing. I had just found out I was pregnant, and the stress led to a miscarriage.

We went to ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married for over 25 years, and from the outside, it probably looks like we have a stable life. We raised kids together; we pay the bills; we attend family functions. But inside the walls of our home, I feel painfully alone.

My husband and I barely talk anymore unless it's about schedules, errands or something to do with ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a 66-year-old woman, married to my second husband for nearly 17 years. Like many couples, we've had our share of struggles -- serious enough that we were close to separating. Wanting to save our marriage, I asked him to attend counseling with me, and to his credit, he agreed. We've been doing much better since then and have ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been dating a wonderful man for five years, and for the most part, our relationship is strong and loving. We don't live together, so we typically see each other just a couple of times a week, with more time together when we go on vacation. That time feels precious to me. But lately, I've found myself increasingly frustrated, ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been struggling with my relationship with my older sister for some time now. Unfortunately, I have little time to pursue counseling, and finding an available, competent therapist in my area is difficult.

My older sister hosts the annual holiday dinners, which I used to enjoy and even help out with. But over the last few years...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband had a period of infidelity. He met a co-worker, and I was sick with mold poisoning. I wasn't giving him the attention I normally did. He said he found in her what I wasn't giving him. He told me about her but refused to stop seeing her, swearing they were only friends.

I tried to be friends with her only to find that ...Read more

Dear Annie: My parents have been in a rocky marriage for as long as I can remember. I'm 16, and my brother is 20 and away at college. My dad has left and come back a few times, and now he's telling my mom again that he's done and wants her to move out. She's heartbroken, and it's really hard to watch. I've seen her cry more in the past few ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married for 38 years, and over time I've realized that I've slowly lost a sense of who I am. My husband is a good man in many ways, but he's always the one who decides where we go, what we do and who we spend time with. If something doesn't interest him, it simply doesn't happen. I've gone along with it for years, but ...Read more

Dear Annie: I remarried a few years ago after losing my first wife, and my current wife also lost her husband. We both came into the marriage with grown children, and while blending two families always comes with challenges, most of the relationships have settled well -- except for one.

My daughter seemed OK at first. She was polite and came ...Read more

Dear Readers: Memorial Day is often seen as the unofficial beginning of summer -- a long weekend filled with backyard barbecues, road trips and the smell of freshly cut grass. Stores run sales, families gather and children run barefoot through sprinklers. These moments of joy are part of what makes our country beautiful, but beneath the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm a brokenhearted Nana who could really use your advice.

I have a 10-month-old grandson whom I adore, but I'm not allowed to kiss him -- not even on the back of his head. Recently, in a moment of pure affection, I forgot and gently kissed the back of his head. It was instinctual. I love him so much, it just happened.

The ...Read more