My sister is very close (maybe too close) with her only daughter who is graduating and going to a prestigious university in the fall. She’s always been dependent on my niece for emotional support. Now everything is falling apart in their family. My sister’s recent behavior is bizarre and out of control. She’s drinking a […]
I have two young children ages 6 and 8. Their mother has a drug problem and because of it the kids live with me. As you can imagine, their mother sometimes doesn’t show up or call them when they are waiting for her. I want to protect the kids as much as I can because […]
I have a 14 y/o son that is giving me problems. He doesn’t listen anymore, talks back and gets angry easily. He doesn’t try hard in school and his grades show it. I’ve taken away most of his privileges, but it doesn’t make a difference. I want him to go to therapy but he refuses. […]
My father died when my sister, brother and I were young. My mother was and continues to be very demanding of our loyalty. Although we’re adults, she still gives her opinion when we don’t ask and expects us to agree with her about everything. Last week she tried to tell my brother’s wife how to […]
My 9 y/o daughter has taken gymnastics for awhile and is very good. Lately she doesn’t want to go. We have huge fights when it’s gymnastics time, but after she gets there it’s fine. If she drops out I know she’ll regret it and blame me later for not making her stick with it. She […]
When my mother comes to visit, she makes comments on my clothes, my hair, how I keep my home, whether I’ve gained weight, what I’m eating and/or doing with my spare time, etc. I know she does it because she loves me, but it drives me crazy. What should I do? The anticipation of criticism […]
I have a close friend who has kids almost the same age as mine. Every time we talk she brings up and brags to me in detail about how her kids are superior to everyone in their class or on their sports team. I sit there feeling irritated like she is constantly trying to ‘one […]
I just had a baby and I’m overwhelmed. First I was excited– now I’m just exhausted and anxious. I hardly sleep. My baby has colic and cries constantly. Anywhere I am, people tell me why he’s crying and what I should do. It drives me crazy, but then I think maybe they’re right and I’m […]
My daughter lives with her boyfriend who inherited a LOT of money so he doesn’t have to work. But, she works hard everyday and must pay half of the bills when he could easily afford to cover them. After work, my daughter cooks and cleans while he tells her she’s doing it wrong. When she […]
The relationship with my adult children upsets me. I divorced early and didn’t want them to suffer, so I was protective, didn’t talk about it and dedicated my life to them. Now they hardly call. When they do, they want something. If they don’t get it, they get irritated and hang up. I don’t want […]