Dear Eric: My husband and I are seniors. We no longer host Thanksgiving and other holidays, as our youngest son has taken that on willingly. I still prepare a variety of dishes and baked goods which we take to his home. He has a lovely, blended family now, and everyone converges to enjoy food and […]
Category: Advice
Asking Eric: We eloped after dating for two weeks
You’re in pain and it won’t help you for me to belabor the past, so I’ll simply say that neither of you put enough consideration into this relationship before tying the knot, writes R. Eric Thomas.
Asking Eric: Friends never initiate social plans
Dear Eric: My wife and I have a fair number of friend groups. We enjoy social gatherings, especially dinners out, with all the groups. But only one or two of the couples ask us out as much as we ask them.
Asking Eric: Grandfather wants to be the center of attention at family events
Dear Eric: Yesterday we attended a grandson’s birthday party, and he was sullen and pushed to leave early. He’s not speaking to me today to punish me.
Asking Eric: Family friend wants to set house rules for my home
Dear Eric: Friends of ours, who live on the other side of the country, have a daughter who is a senior in college in the same town we live in. It’s not uncommon for the daughter to spend holidays like Thanksgiving, or the occasional weekend, with us.
Asking Eric: How do I end a friendship for a second time?
Dear Eric: Fast-forward 20 years and we started hanging out again. Girl stuff like going out for lunch. Recently I’ve realized that, as nice as she is, I just don’t enjoy her company.
Asking Eric: Husband relies on me to handle everything
Dear Eric: Every time an issue comes up, whether it’s the landlord knocking on the door or someone else, he comes running to me to deal with it and I am fed up with it.
Asking Eric: Feuding siblings trap mediator sister in the middle
Dear Eric: I have always been close with my only siblings, my twin sister (67) and our brother (72). But sis and bro have had many issues over the past few years and bro chooses to distance himself from her. I feel like I’ve always been the family matriarch and arbitrator.
Asking Eric: Husband doesn’t want children’s friends in home
Dear Eric: My husband has told our kids they cannot have any friends inside of our home. They can play in the front yard and that is it.
Asking Eric: Sisters use pets as excuse for never visiting
Dear Eric: For about 20 years, my husband and I and our two boys, when they were younger, plus a dog, traveled usually by car to visit my sisters. They never visited us.