Dear Abby - Life Advice (original) (raw)
November 17, 2024
Offer To Repay Favor Has More Strings Than a Marionette
DEAR ABBY: I helped a friend by giving her rides to and from work for two weeks while her car was being repaired. When she got her car back, she told me to let her know if she could ever repay the fav... more
November 16, 2024
Obligations as Caregivers Have Put Strain on Marriage
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been taking care of my father-in-law for four years -- getting his groceries, going to the bank, picking up prescriptions and doing different tasks. He's disabled and ... more
November 15, 2024
Dad Frustrated That Daughter Refuses To See the Truth
DEAR ABBY: My daughter, "Virginia," age 27, lives with her boyfriend, "Ray," on the East Coast and teaches kindergarten. Last month, she confided that she had caught him cheating. She saw texts on his... more
November 14, 2024
Husband Is Quick To Dismiss Wife's Opinions About Home
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have three grown children, all of whom still live at home. I had always thought that once they graduated from college and got good jobs, they should start paying rent. Beca... more
November 13, 2024
A Brief Thank-You Note Has an Outsized Impact
DEAR ABBY: Some time ago, you printed a letter from a grandmother who said she was changing her will because neither her adult children nor her grandchildren ever wrote her thank-you notes when she se... more
November 12, 2024
Relationship Born in Rehab Must Endure Long-Distance
DEAR ABBY: I got out of rehab two months ago. While I was there, I met someone. "Annie" lives in Florida, and I live in California. We both are doing great, and I believe we make each other stronger.... more
November 11, 2024
Wife Tired of Being the Only One To Make Plans
DEAR ABBY: I have been married for 17 years to a good man with many great attributes. However, our relationship lacks connection. Every effort at emotional connection is initiated by me (like planning... more
November 10, 2024
Stepdaughter's Spoiled Behavior Has Worn Thin
DEAR ABBY: I'm in my early 30s; my husband is 46. We have been married three years. He has a 24-year-old daughter, "Kiki." Kiki has always been spoiled and catered to; she learned how to lie and manip... more
November 09, 2024
Family's 'Doer' Is Tired of Always Helping Stepmom
DEAR ABBY: I am a 37-year-old woman who seems to be the go-to person in my family to figure things out. Due to my stepmom not feeling comfortable enough with her English and my striving to win her app... more
November 08, 2024
Bitter Feelings for Mean Teacher Persist Decades Later
DEAR ABBY: My elementary school teacher passed away recently. I hadn't seen her in more than 20 years because of how she made me feel. I remember her as manipulative and having a negative attitude tow... more
November 07, 2024
Friend's Drunk Dials Are Too Much To Handle
DEAR ABBY: I have been friends with a couple for 30 years. Both are alcoholics. They function, work at farmers' markets, are sociable, have a house and pay their bills. Yet, at least once, maybe twice... more
November 06, 2024
Partner Wants Intimacy Only With a Third Participant
DEAR ABBY: I'm in an open relationship with my partner. We both enjoy hooking up with other people, but only if we agree on the person. It was going great; I still got my one-on-one time with my partn... more
November 05, 2024
Cash for Niece's Shower Pays for Cruise Instead
DEAR ABBY: My sister recently lost her husband, who passed away after a brief fight with cancer. Her daughter, my niece, was scheduled to be married later this year. They struggle with finances, and m... more
November 04, 2024
Relatives' Estate Planning Left Siblings Out in the Cold
DEAR ABBY: When my husband, "Sid," was a young adult, his mother died by suicide. A few years later, when his maternal grandparents died, his mother's two siblings inherited his grandparents' estate. ... more