Carolyn Hax
Widowed friend turns a bit too wild
Dear Carolyn • Eight months ago, after a brief illness, my 57-year-old friend's husband passed away. Their marriage had always been a bit rocky, and after his death we learned that he'd been involved in some questionable activities.
May 28, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Mom won't OK couple having another baby
Dear Carolyn • My husband and I are in our 40s, have twin girls and would like one more child. We are working on the third child and the only reservation is telling my mother. She is a college-educated woman in her 60s who seems to have some odd definition of the number of children a person shoul…
May 26, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Divorced woman reluctant to advise friends
Dear Carolyn • Ever since my husband left me five years ago, it seems I attract women friends in the process of divorce who want me to give them emotional support.
May 23, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Control by boyfriend's mother irks woman
Dear Carolyn • My boyfriend of over a year and I are going to be graduating with an associate's in a couple of weeks. Yeah, we're still not done yet, but halfway through a bachelor's!
May 21, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Boyfriend keeps woman from his children
Dear Carolyn • I am in a committed relationship with a divorced man who is the father of two young adults, 22 and 24.
May 19, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Mom must get tough on carless son
Dear Carolyn • My 46-year-old, divorced son is working full time and lives within walking distance of me. His 50-year-old, divorced sister who works full time also lives within walking distance in her own apartment. She is independent and lives responsibly.
May 16, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Wife upset man won't wear wedding ring
Hi, Carolyn • What is your opinion of married men who refuse to wear a wedding ring? My husband of many years took his off a few years ago, after we started having problems, and has steadfastly refused to put it back on even though I've stated plainly and repeatedly that it would mean a lot to me…
May 14, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Baby naming upsets mother-in-law
Hi, Carolyn • When my husband and I were first talking about having children, he suggested my mother's name and his mother's name or our fathers' names.
May 12, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Mom's mental illness hurts daughter
Dear Carolyn • My wife and I split up for a couple of reasons — including that she's likely bipolar but refuses treatment.
May 09, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Sister is too controlling with woman
Hi Carolyn — My younger sister and I have become very close over the last few years as we are both in our 20s and beginning our own lives. She attends a university about an hour away from where I live. I live about 15 minutes from our parents' house and my sister comes home to visit frequently, a…
May 07, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Relative bullying husband irks wife
Hi, Carolyn • My brother-in-law, husband to my husband's sister, has been verbally abusing my husband for over a year now. His sister will not intervene, since her husband has proceeded with her knowledge and approval.
May 05, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Gay man rejects some matchmaking
Dear Carolyn • Is there a polite way to say to well-meaning family and friends, "Please don't feel like you have to try to set me up with every gay man you know just because I am single"? I live in an area without a huge gay community, so I'm grateful for occasional set-ups with guys who share my…
May 02, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Man wants more support from wife
Hi, Carolyn • I'm depressed about the direction my professional life has taken. I feel like I could cry at any moment. I need a warm word or a hug.
Apr 30, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Bias vs. 'little' brother must stop
Dear Carolyn • My little brother and I used to be close, but have had a more tense relationship in recent years (I thought he needed to grow up, he thought I wasn't fun anymore). I think there's equal fault on both sides.
Apr 28, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Mom talks frankly with teen sons about sex
Dear Carolyn • We have been lucky to have open communication with our boys about sex over the years. Now they are 16 and 17 and have girlfriends. The 16-year-old has opted for "everything but" because that makes him feel safest. The 17-year-old is having sex and wants me to allow his 18-year-old …
Apr 25, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Love haunts quick-into-bed woman
Hi, Carolyn • This is a pretty painful question for me to ask. Over the past two years (since graduating from law school) my love life has been a mess; I've had about 10 pseudo-relationships that burned out quickly and have had to recognize I'm the common denominator.
Apr 23, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Man catches wife on dating service
Dear Carolyn • I'm married with a child and another on the way. I've seen a couple of emails on my wife's phone related to dating websites. After a little investigation, it appears that there is no way to sign up to receive those emails without posting some type of profile.
Apr 21, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Woman can't accept father's affair
Dear Carolyn • Just been uncovered that my dad has been having a (quite public) affair. The other woman is a friend of my mom's, and my mom's friends have known about the affair for some time. My mom is heartbroken, and so am I.
Apr 18, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Woman needs to attend friend's dinner
Dear Carolyn • I have a group of friends from college, and we are quite close. One of them pursued a career while the rest of us balanced career and family ambitions. She was recently named to the board of directors for a major nonprofit that she has supported for a long time. She was thrilled, a…
Apr 16, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Man's parents treat his wife poorly
Dear Carolyn • My parents tend to treat my wife as an unwelcome intruder in the family. After growing up in a house where problems are best left ignored until they blow over, I generally try to confront them head-on. But I know my parents will deny that anything is the matter. — Dealing With My M…
Apr 14, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Feelings for best friend hamper guy
Dear Carolyn • I'm a single guy who has harbored feelings for one of my best friends for a number of years. I've never said anything to her since I don't want to put her in the position of having to reject me, and I know in my head it wouldn't work out between us due to a number of lifestyle and …
Apr 11, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Not being invited to party bothers parent
Dear Carolyn • Our daughter and son-in-law recently purchased their first house. My husband and I helped advise them (solicited) during the building of the house, and I watched our 3 1/2-year-old grandson on numerous occasions when the couple had to deal with the building details. We kept our gra…
Apr 09, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Long-distance dating troubles woman
Hi, Carolyn • I'm in the early stages of a long-distance relationship. We see each other as many weekends as possible.
Apr 07, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Invasive medical tests hamper woman
Dear Carolyn • How much am I obligated to my boyfriend to try to find treatment for medical problems that make it impossible for me to have children? I've been shuttled around between various doctors for the past year and a half.
Apr 04, 2012 | 12:00 am
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Girlfriend's negative attitude irks man
Dear Carolyn: My girlfriend seems to be paranoid (not in the clinical sense). Every action that a friend or family member takes, she looks for how it could be taken as an attack or negative thing toward her. It's getting exhausting trying to defend other people's actions when I don't really think…
Apr 02, 2012 | 12:00 am
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