EAR HARRIETTE: Seemingly out of the blue, they are reading lots of books about race at my son’s school. Seriously, they have read three books back-to-back about racial injustice. While I think it is important for the kids to learn about these topics, it is making us uncomfortable. Not everything is about race, but you would never know from this class. I don’t have the knowledge or time to debate these issues with my son every day.
EAR ABBY: My husband and I have an elderly (90-plus) aunt who lives with her son in a town about four hours away. She corresponds by letter with us regularly, and we always write back. However, it has become apparent that she’s not receiving our letters because she doesn’t make any comments on any of the things we write to tell her about. We suspect that her son is withholding her mail because we have written to him in the past to express our displeasure about how he treats his mother’s emotional and safety needs.
It’ll happen to every driver and likely at the most inopportune moment — like when you’re running late, on a family road trip or commuting to work. A familiar light will flick on in your car’s dashboard. Sometimes, the low tire pressure indicator can mean it’s time to add more air, caused by regular wear-and-tear or a sudden change in the weather. But other times, the light leads drivers down a road that requires them to buy a new set of tires. So how do you know?
Gov. Kevin Stitt used his second State of the State speech to urge lawmakers to continue his effort to transform state government and turn Oklahoma into a “top ten state.”
DEAR ABBY: I’ve got a new one for you. My beautiful 16-year-old daughter was interested in a boy her age from school. He was interested in her, too. He told her he wanted to date her, but that he is “polyamorous” and would be dating many girls simultaneously. She told him he’s too young to know what he is yet, and he was just using it as an excuse to date multiple girls, and she wasn’t interested.
DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my best friends has terminal cancer. He has tried everything to heal himself, which is actually a lot because he has money. He has traveled all over the world trying to find a doctor or therapy that will help him, but nothing is working. Now, it seems like he is slowing down. He is unwilling to accept that he may be dying soon, though. He still wants to hang out late, which I do not advise. But then I wonder if I should just support whatever he wants. He usually includes me at his fun events, but I see that he is failing. How can I best support him? — Friend at the End
Hello, dear readers, and (yes, it’s mid-February) happy 2020. We hope the new year is treating you well. You’ve filled our mailbox with some very interesting questions and quandaries, including how to follow through on New Year’s resolutions. We look forward to tackling that topic — and many more of your questions — in the coming months. Meanwhile, onward to your most recent thoughts, tips and suggestions.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My children get mad at me because I’m old-school: I don’t care how old they are — I don’t want them leaving home without putting on lotion. I can’t stand looking at ashy skin. It looks bad, but what’s worse is that your skin can crack if you don’t keep it moisturized. They hate it when I remind them. As long as they live under my roof, I want them to do the basic things needed to care for their skin. How can I get this point across without fussing all the time? It’s winter. It should be obvious to them. — Dry Skin Dilemma
DEAR ABBY: A year ago, my brother “Leon” had a nervous breakdown at work due to a co-worker constantly harassing him. He’s currently under the care of a therapist through his workplace and has not worked for a year.
Dear Doctor: Is it really that important to walk around during a long flight? I always take a window seat when I fly, and I pretty much stay put because it’s so hard to move around in a plane these days.