ArcaMax

Dear Annie: I married a man who was an only child, and throughout our marriage, his parents never let go of him. They wanted to be involved in every aspect of our lives and visited our home daily. I managed to set some boundaries at first, but after we had a child, their involvement became unbearable. They would arrive at our house by 7 a.m. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I live in an apartment building. I am quiet and keep to myself. There's a concierge here who is incredibly nosy. When I pick up my package, she asks, "So, what's in the package?" as if I'm doing something nefarious. She's also a terrible gossip and a liar.

At the front desk, as well as to management, she has accused me of doing ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister, who is eight years older than me, showed up late to my wedding and missed nearly half of the ceremony. As my now-husband and I were exchanging vows, she made a grand entrance that was anything but discreet, causing a huge disruption. To make matters worse, she was wearing a white gown, which felt completely ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm lucky enough to work at a place where everyone generally gets along very well. We have one newer person who is nice, but has one annoying quirk: She randomly inserts baby talk into the conversation.

For example, instead of saying, "I'm sorry you've had a rough day," it's "Awww, I sowwy you had a wuff day," accompanied by ...Read more

Dear Readers: I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your many responses to "Left Speechless," the 55-year-old mother who felt herself struggling with how to reply to strangers when asked if she is her childrens' mother or grandmother. We have such a supportive and insightful Dear Annie community (filled with many wonderful mothers!).

Here were ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a single mother of two children, an 8-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son. My daughter's father is involved; my son's father is not. I was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) when my daughter was born and given two weeks to live. My condition has markedly improved, and I am on the best treatment there is for it...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have recently become part of a new social cooking group, and while I have been enjoying the sense of community and shared passion for food, I have noticed that some members have been sharing my recipes and personal cooking techniques online without my consent, just changing up details like switching basil leaves to onions. ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: For my 40th birthday, my sister planned a bowling party. She is very organized, and pre-entered the names of all 12 guests into the lanes (two lanes, six people at each).

My dad arrived late, while we were in the fourth frame, and unexpectedly brought his girlfriend, Tiffany. My mom, his ex-wife, had stepped away and it ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married for 22 years, and my husband and I have three teenagers together. My issue is, I caught my husband cheating three years ago and found out that his affair had lasted six years. He claimed that he wasn't getting his needs met at home. Nonetheless, it broke my heart and my trust.

I don't know what I have to do to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I enjoy helping my friends, my partner and family members. I feel doing good deeds is important in my retirement. My hands are pretty full with getting my elderly dad to medical visits, and I also visit him three times a week. I also have older single friends I do things for, such as occasionally dropping off meals and running errands...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 16-year-old teenage daughter landed a part-time job this semester, and I can tell she's really feeling the pressure of trying to juggle work, school and her social life all at once. I want to support her independence and growth, but I can see how stressed out she is getting. I'm trying to figure out how to help her balance ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A pair of neighbors hosted my wife and me for an impromptu dinner, to which we contributed a nice salad. The food was fine, the apartment lovely. We have sent them a thank-you note.

I know that we aren't required to reciprocate by inviting them to dinner in our apartment (thank goodness). But honestly, I don't want to ...Read more

Dear Annie: This is not a letter to play the victim, so please hear me out. My mother has caused me so much hurt for as far back as I can remember. When I was a kid, I was sexually abused by my brother. I told her, and she said I was lying. I used to think I was adopted because there was no way a parent could be so mean to a biological child. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I was physically, emotionally and sexually abused by my oldest brother (six years my senior) from ages 6 to 11. As soon as I could verbalize what was happening, I went to my parents and told them. They believed me, but swept it under the rug and didn't provide any kind of therapy or treatment for either of us.

At 15, I had a mental ...Read more

The situation has eased somewhat, but the divorced dads of this world are still having a tough time winning custody of their children. The role of primary caregiver is usually given to the woman, and the man of the house has no more house -- nor home. His children become part-time guests. His family role is decimated -- as is his bank account ...Read more