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Annie's Mailbox®, March 21 Dear Annie: My brother's girlfriend recently became pregnant. The problem is my mother. When I was pregnant with my 2-year-old son, I had no contact with my family, partly because my mother dislikes my husband. When my husband and I separated for a …Read more. Annie's Mailbox®, March 20 Dear Annie: My son was recently married in a small, private ceremony. For some unknown reason, my mother did not want to attend, but eventually, she and my father decided to show up. The entire time, my mother acted very rudely toward my son, my in-…Read more. Annie's Mailbox®, March 19 Dear Annie: My son and his wife have been married 12 years and have two beautiful daughters. But I am terribly concerned about their eating habits. This is doubly difficult, as my daughter-in-law is the boss in this family and thinks she knows …Read more. Annie's Mailbox®, March 18 Dear Annie: I am a successful and happily married 28-year-old woman. I have a good life, for which I am grateful, except for one thing. When I was 15, a close family friend 15 years my senior was staying with my family. I considered …Read more.
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ANNIE'S MAILBOX(R)

Dear Annie: I was with "Barry" for two years. After the first eight months of an amazing relationship, things started going downhill. Out of the blue, I felt I couldn't trust him. He didn't do anything in particular. For no reason, I just started checking his phone and becoming clingy and controlling. We fought over stupid things because of me.

Eventually, Barry couldn't take the questioning and accusations anymore, and I couldn't stand myself for treating him this way, so we broke up. We love each other and have a hard time staying apart, so we keep going back and forth trying to work it out. But I still have a problem with trust.

Barry is a good man, and I know he wouldn't cheat. Why can't I let this damaging, insecure behavior go? We have great times hanging out together but always end up fighting. Then we split for a couple of days and then try again. It's an endless cycle.

What do I do about this relationship? And how do I stop worrying about what he's doing, why he is on the phone or who he's talking to? — Insecure Girlfriend

Dear Girlfriend: Either Barry is subtly behaving in a way that makes you distrust him, or you are so insecure that you are subconsciously sabotaging your relationship. In order to change the dynamic between the two of you, please get some couples counseling and work on ways to modify your behavior so the relationship has a chance to move forward.

Dear Annie: My son is marrying a very sweet girl next June, and I am very happy for them. The problem is, the bride's mother does not want me to have anything to do with the wedding and has thrown a fit about my involvement. My son and his girlfriend caved and did not defend me.

At first, the bride asked me to address the invitations and handle the photographs. However, when her mom found out, I was no longer welcome to help in any way.

She says as the groom's mother, it is not my place. Yet her older son recently married, and she played a huge part in that event. Why is she depriving me of the same pleasure?

So far, I have not said a word. However, I was going to help pay for the wedding, and now I don't intend to contribute one red cent. I have not been kept informed of the progress of the wedding plans and have lost all my joy for the big day. I'm also hurt that my son and his bride won't stand up for me.

What should I do? — Deeply Depressed Texas Mom

Dear Texas Mom: We feel sorry for your son, who is going to have a barracuda for a mother-in-law and a bride who is too intimidated to speak up. Please don't turn this into a grudge match. Step back graciously, relax and allow yourself to be a guest at the wedding. If you have promised to contribute toward the cost and have changed your mind, be sure to tell your son so he can plan accordingly. The way you handle this disappointment will set the tone for your future relationship with your son and his wife. Tread carefully.

Dear Annie: I had a good laugh at your answer to "Sad Wife," whose husband was "wonderful," but only wanted sex once a month. You told her he could be depressed or need to have his testosterone checked.

My husband only wanted sex once a month. I discovered he was having an affair with the mother of my daughter's best friend. I, too, thought he was a workaholic, but the business trips and overtime stopped as soon as his affair was exposed. Maybe instead of having his testosterone checked, that wife should check out where he really is when he is "never home." — Took the Money and Got Even in Texas

Dear Texas: That is, unfortunately, always a possibility. We hope it's not the case for "Sad."

Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailbox@comcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, P.O. Box 118190, Chicago, IL 60611. To find out more about Annie's Mailbox, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS.COM



Comments

6 Comments | Post Comment

I almost can't read this anymore. The way her future diw's mother is acting, I wouldn't go to that wedding on a bet! I would act like nothing is going on, and then go out of town that weekend, no phones, no nothing. I can't believe how you encourage these people to cow down to that sort of treatment.

Comment: #1
Posted by: Charles Knott
Fri Nov 20, 2009 7:35 AM

re; Letter 1 - why couples counceling? From every indication in the letter the boyfriend is okay. The LW needs the help. She needs to work on her issues as an INDIVIDUAL and then pursue being a couple when she's in a better emotional space. Right now she's not there. This doesn't appear to be the bf's issues. Letter 2: the ladies are right on this one. Pull your funding (except maybe some of your son's expenses), sit back, relax and enjoy the wedding and watching the monster-in-law self distruct. A wedding is acually a couple hours out of one day. In the long run you will be the one that the couple will count on and want to spend time with. . . .that is if they can get away : )

Comment: #2
Posted by: Rick
Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:32 AM

The letter about the teacher brought up my worst nightmares as a parent. We had this situation with my bright, studious son. We followed all the things Annie recommended. I wish I had thought to mention a lawyer to the principal who was such a good listener, but who did nothing. My son barely survived 5th grade. His ego was severely bruised, his confidence shaken by the horrible woman who belittled and bullied him. He was seriously depressed - as a 10 year old! - and needed counseling. If it had not been for a brilliant, compassionate male teacher in 6th grade, he might have decided school was a bad idea and never finished high school. I count my advice to my son on dealing with this bad teacher by just getting through it, being the better person, and so on, as my major failure in parenting. I should have protected him. If I had known how bad it would get, I hope I would have. After that experience, I would NEVER let a child go through this again. Be firm, DEMAND a change to a new class, and yes, mention a lawyer. It would still be a good idea to discuss with the child why some people can be unpleasant (ill health, sadness of their own we don't know about, someone treated them this way and they don't know any better), but this is not enough when the mental and perhaps physical health of your child is at stake. PROTECT YOUR CHILD!

Comment: #3
Posted by: Marcia Lauzon
Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:15 PM

I'd like to know what kind of linguini-spined, limp-wristed wimp the LW raised and sent out into the world. What the hell is wrong with the groom? I would never allow my g/f's mother to treat any member of my family this way, and if my lady didn't back me up, I'd probably tell her I was reconsidering the marriage itself. Maybe this fellow ought to do some heavy thinking about what kind of family he is marrying into. This can only be a harbinger. It's his day, too, and if he doesn't stand up to his future M-I-L, it's only going to invite more abuse. Bullies never respond well to appeasement; it emboldens them. It doesn't matter if it's a wedding, a schoolyard, or an international dispute.

Comment: #4
Posted by: Matt
Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:01 PM

Re: Marcia Lauzon. Exactly. Acting to put a stop to this "teaching" would have done the other kids in her charge a big favor as well. If she was treating your son that way, chances are it was also happening to others in his class, as well as 5th-grade classes in prior and following years.

Comment: #5
Posted by: Matt
Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:06 PM

Re letter #1: The writer has experienced a sudden personality change that has her feeling emotions she intellectually knows are inappropriate. That could be a sign of hormonal/biochemical imbalances that could easily be addressed with medication. Depression isn't always "feeling sad."

Comment: #6
Posted by: Kathleen
Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:11 AM
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