Life Advice
/Health
Is It Depression or Something Else?
Dear Annie: I am a 48-year-old male living at home with my folks and older sister. We are a close-knit family and do things together often. I couldn't be happier to have them in my life.
Lately, I've been feeling a little bit down and stuck in the mud if you can call it that. I have no reason to feel like that. I am my oldest nephew's home ...Read more
Loss, Recovery and Tough Family Choices
Dear Annie: I am also a parent of a child who lost his battle with addiction in 2022. There are so many of us with difficult stories to share.
My son found alcohol and drugs at 15 and battled those demons until his death at the age of 30. I have come to know that there are some types of brains that truly do not know how to turn off that ...Read more
The Impact of Good-Mannered Children
Dear Annie: You recently said you rarely get letters praising mothers-in-law. Well, here is one!
I grew up in an abusive family with a mother who has severe borderline personality disorder and refuses to get medication or therapy. When I met my mother-in-law, I was naturally very distrustful of her. Mothers were not safe to me, and mothers-in...Read more
Grandparent Problems and Communication Challenges
Dear Annie: I've been reading more and more of your stories and enjoying them. But the one that really caught my eye is from "Heartbroken Nana," the woman who wants to have a better relationship with her grandchildren.
I am a grandmother of soon-to-be 15 grandchildren, and I am in daily contact with four of them. I take them to school and ...Read more
Caught in a Complex Connection
Dear Annie: I'm sad to say that my mother has been lonely for far too long. Her relationship with my father was unsatisfying, and they separated years before his untimely death 18 years ago. Since then, she has neither dated nor maintained any close friendships. My brother lives nearby and sees her a few times a month with his toddler son.
I ...Read more
Pet Disparity Puts Strain on Marriage
Dear Annie: I grew up never allowed to have pets. I've been married almost 30 years to a man who allowed me to have a small inside dog, and he doesn't mind her so much but hates the two we have outside. Both are rescues, one from his oldest son that had him tied to a tree, the other from a rescue group. Both weigh under 7 pounds. He hates them...Read more
Daughter Seeks Support, Not Judgment, from Mother
Dear Annie: My mother, who is now 62, has always been a dominant personality, keen on having things go her way. I'm 34, an independent graphic designer, and I pride myself on being self-sufficient and creative. But every time I share aspects of my life with her -- be it career choices, romantic partners or even smaller decisions like adopting ...Read more
Promotion Shifts Dynamics of Longtime Friendship
Dear Annie: My friend "Emily" and I go way back to our college days, when we used to share absolutely everything with each other -- the good, the bad and the ugly. She recently got a promotion at work (she works for a well-known accounting firm), something I know she's been dreaming of for a while. Of course, I'm super happy for her, but ...Read more
Navigating Wedding Etiquette
Dear Annie: I have a question I hear many people ask about wedding gifting.
The old rule of thumb was the gift should cover the plate. Others say it's a gift and you're not responsible for paying for the couple's wedding.
Recently, my husband and I attended a family member's wedding; we put $200 in an envelope and gave them a lovely wedding ...Read more
Navigating Financial and Communication Boundaries in Relationships
Dear Annie: I had been in a wonderful relationship with an incredible woman for two years and 10 months. She recently broke up with me because I had not discussed my personal finances with her.
I am a private person and have a difficult time opening up. My reasoning behind not discussing my finances was that we are not living together.
But ...Read more
Laughter and Connection in the Digital Age
Dear Annie: The recent letter about giving children experiences instead of things really struck a chord. When the writer said, "One of the most beautiful sounds in the world is the laughter of a child. You can almost hear their brain enjoying life," it nearly brought me to tears.
I've been a "recess teacher" at the local primary school (...Read more
Enduring Love Beyond Addiction
Dear Annie: I lost my 32-year-old son (the baby of my three kids) almost two years ago to a fentanyl overdose; we all battled his addiction right along with him for more than a decade. He was in and out of jail, and actually skipped out on a court-ordered rehab (which of course led to more jail time).
He had several broken romantic ...Read more
When Pregnancy Tests Relationships
Dear Annie: I'm struggling badly with something that occurred over a week and a half ago. I'm a mom. My son is 15. I've been dating a man for two years now, but I've known him for over six. He has no kids and has always expressed his interest in becoming a dad.
A year ago, we decided to try for a baby, but I was a bit hesitant considering my ...Read more
Having Fun Beyond the Party Scene
Dear Annie: I've always disliked house parties. During the first ones I'd been invited to, I had to leave early due to the loud music, vulgar dancing and drunk classmates -- an environment that would only make me feel anxious, disgusted and sick.
I thought this feeling would wear off and I'd eventually be able to integrate and have fun just ...Read more
New Love Amid Grief: Navigating Timelines
Dear Annie: I am a 45-year-old man, and I was married for 17 years to my lovely wife until her untimely death a year ago. My wife and I have three children, one of whom is from her previous relationship. I love her so much, and when she passed, I was heartbroken and severely depressed.
Recently, an old girlfriend from my teenage years reached ...Read more
Respecting Boundaries and Bridging Gaps
Dear Annie: We have neighbors who reside in a cul-de-sac that is at the rear of our property. Our property is located on a U-shaped half-mile neighborhood, which is ideal for walking. Over time, these neighbors have chosen to repeatedly cut through our property on an almost daily basis to facilitate their walking routine. It's gotten to the ...Read more
Gifts of Love: Creating Memories and Teaching Values
Dear Readers: Many of you wrote in with tips on encouraging children to focus less on material items. Thank you for sharing these terrific suggestions. Here are some of my favorite letters:
Dear Annie: I just read your letter from "Caught in the Middle," the parent whose daughter is being spoiled by her grandparents and is looking for a ...Read more
Celebrating Passover and Earth Day
Dear Annie: Over the years, I have worked in day care centers for 2-year-olds, and my husband is a speech therapist. I have a family friend who is raising a 2-year-old from the community. We see their child continuously and think that he is behind developmentally, especially in speech.
They could hypothetically wait until he is old enough to ...Read more
Trust Troubles: Honoring Wishes Over Transparency
Dear Annie: My 96-year-old mother has two children -- me and my older sibling, "Jennifer." Our mother's trust originally had Jennifer as trustee, but she moved to the West Coast, about 2,000 miles away. A year and a half before Jennifer moved, she tried to steal some small, expensive pieces of jewelry from our mother. She was caught standing ...Read more
Smile!
Dear Annie: I notice many readers have problems and anxieties. Maybe something my mother taught me will help them.
She lost two husbands to illness and had a chronic illness herself. We almost lost my brother on the same day my dad died. She raised three boys in a small town taking any job available. Through all these hard times, she always ...Read more