I want her to change her ways

8:23am Friday 19th September 2008

Q: Dear Kate, I’ve been trying really hard to get on with my brother’s wife, but it’s getting pretty difficult. She doesn’t make it easy for me, sighing and rolling her eyes when I’m talking to him. Then she’ll do something like ask me what time I’m leaving when I’ve only just arrived. I don’t want to cause him any grief, but I think if he realised how she behaved towards me, he’d stick up for me and maybe she’d change her ways.

My son wears make-up

8:24am Friday 12th September 2008

Q: Dear Kate, I’m really embarrassed to say I think my son is wearing my make-up! I found some in his gym bag and thought he had been acting quite strange recently. I’m just stunned and can’t begin to imagine how I can confront him about it. Should I pretend I didn’t find it and hope it’s a phase he’ll grow out of, or ask him what on earth he’s thinking?

How will I cope if he is bullied?

9:46am Friday 5th September 2008

Q Dear Kate, my son is 11 and has starts at secondary school next week. He’s fine about the whole thing and is really excited. The trouble is, I’ve been getting more and more anxious as the holidays come to an end. I was bullied at school and it was a pretty miserable time for me. I don’t know what I’ll do if my son has the same experience.

How do I help my son?

8:24am Friday 29th August 2008

Q: Dear Kate, my 22 year-old son has just told me that his boss hasn’t been paid for jobs they’ve done, and so my son hasn’t been paid for about three weeks. He’s working cash-in-hand with a plumber, has got behind with his rent, and has built up some debt on his credit card. I’m worried that he won’t see the money he’s owed and he’s getting into a terrible mess with everything. I can’t afford to bail him out and feel frustrated I’m not better able to help – I just don’t know what to do.

Should she meet her real dad?

8:34am Friday 8th August 2008

Q: Dear Kate, my wife was pregnant when I met her 14 years ago. She had a lovely daughter who I have brought up as my own from the minute she was born. Now my daughter wants to have more contact with her biological dad, and our other two children are getting rather confused about it all. Am I doing the right thing by asking her not to go ahead with her plans?

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What to do with my self-centred friend

8:42am Friday 1st August 2008

Q: Dear Kate, I’m sick of a girl I thought was a really good friend. I’ve noticed she was getting self-centred anyway, but the last couple of nights out we’ve had she’s just gone on and on about her job, her husband, her kids, even her car. She hasn’t a clue what’s happening in my life at the moment but expects me to be there for her all the time. I’m considering telling her a few home-truths. What do you think?

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So worried

9:18am Friday 25th July 2008

Q Dear Kate, I love my son very much but I really don’t like him any more. He has become very selfish, mostly at the expense of his children. And his ex-wife is no better. They enjoy flash holidays and wild nights out and I can’t understand why they are not putting more energy into their children, who haven’t had a holiday themselves in five years. I worry my son’s lifestyle is going to ruin my son’s relationship with his kids; they just seem to be an inconvenience to him these days.

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I think my friends are having an affair...

12:40pm Friday 18th July 2008

Q: Dear Kate, I went on holiday with a group of lads last month and can’t stop thinking about something I think happened between two of my mates, one of whom is married. They seemed to spend an unusual amount of time together, sleeping in the same room when they didn’t need to. I couldn’t help but notice them together and now I’m convinced they are having an affair. What would you do about it?

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Should I meet up with ex?

8:38am Friday 11th July 2008

Q: Dear Kate, an ex has just got back in touch by texting me out of the blue. I’ve been replying, and I’ve been enjoying the attention – until I saw him last week with the girl he’d told me he split up from. He wants to meet up for old time’s sake and I can’t help thinking I should go because things must be on the rocks if he’s spending time on me. Should I go? A: You think this guy is texting you because his relationship is on the rocks? Have you wondered if he’s been texting any other ex-girlfriends as well as you? It seems to me that you find his actions quite acceptable, and are more annoyed than upset that he’s with this other girl. The picture you’ve painted is one of a man with little respect for women and you should ask yourself what could possibly be positive about meeting up with this guy again. It sounds to me that he’s already telling you lies and I have to wonder what his motivation is. Whether or not his relationship is on the rocks isn’t the issue here, it’s whether or not you have enough respect for yourself to recognise that you deserve better. Should you go? What do you think?

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What can I do to stop her drinking?

8:44am Friday 4th July 2008

Q I’m 20 years old, and about to move into my own place but I think my mum is drinking too much and it’s stopping me from leaving her. I don’t know how to tell her I’m worried about her or that what she is doing is affecting my life.

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