DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Ever since our granddaughter was born, I’ve sat with her two days a week so my daughter could first recover from what was a tough pregnancy, and then so she could go back to w... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My boyfriend has always been a much bigger partyer than I am. He goes out with the guys a few times a month, and I never say anything.... more
DEAR READERS: Today seems like the perfect time to say thank you to the letter writers, readers, and commenters out there. You all keep me on my toes, and while I don’t always get to read every commen... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I get along really well with my new girlfriend’s dad and her two brothers. They all seem really tight and it’s a lot of fun hanging out with them.... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: People always tell me I need to toughen up when it comes to taking criticism. They tell me not to take it personally, but how do you do that, especially when you have a boss w... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Every time the holidays come around I start to get resentful at my great-aunt, who refuses to let any of the rest of the family have the recipes collected by her and her siste... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: One reason I have begun to really hate the holidays is that I come from a family where almost everyone goes all out and spends too much money on gifts for everyone, and then e... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: After my second baby I gained about 30 lbs. that just won’t go away. So, I’ve been on a diet that works perfectly outside the office, but when I’m at work, it’s a constant cha... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Our oldest son got married earlier this year and our middle child moved to his own apartment. We still have our youngest, a high school senior, living with us.... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I love most of everything to do with Christmas, except one thing. Since I was a little kid, I have had a fear of those mall Santas that my mom would always take us to see and ... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I think my mom is gorgeous. She takes really good care of herself and doesn’t look her age at all. At least she didn’t until her new boyfriend got her into going to tanning sa... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: We have a young couple living in the townhouse next to ours and last Christmas season they put up a light display that was left on overnight, every night, and was so bright, m... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Both our oldest daughter and I have several food allergies, including nuts, wheat, and shellfish. But almost every single time we eat over at my in-law’s, my mother-in-law put... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I know I’m supposed to be happy and busy and out spending money this time of year, but I am just not in that frame of mind. My new job doesn’t pay that much and because I have... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I have taught Sunday school for the past fifteen years and recently I was asked to fill in for the youth ministry leader, who was on maternity leave.... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My grandmother passed a few years ago, and last spring, the retriever she and my grandfather had since the dog was a pup also died. That left Grandpa all alone, which I don’t ... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: When our daughter got married last year, she and her then fiancé agreed to pay a third of the expenses of the wedding. Granted, they paid for the gown, the invitations, and so... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I’m in the final stretch of my master’s program. I went back to school for my degree, and am the only one in a group of five roommates renting a house who’s still in school. I... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Ever since my divorce was final, it seems like everyone I know is trying to set me up with someone. They’ve tricked me into blind dates, they’ve talked to single guy friends a... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Every time my mother-in-law comes for a visit, she brings her own bedding and towels. Honestly, we have plenty of each, and they’re completely clean and fresh. She says she fi... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I work with a guy who is probably a true genius when it comes to engineering, but has the least amount of common sense I’ve ever seen, I think. He’s generally great to work wi... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My grandmother passed two weeks ago, and my aunt and her husband submitted the information for the obituary. When it got to the part about survivors, it reads, “nine great-gra... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: It may be because I’m from Boston and my coworker is a Midwesterner, or it could be she is the biggest suck-up ever, but I’m just having a hard time believing anyone can be so... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: We recently had to do some major work to the outside of our house. My husband’s brother agreed to help. His wife asked if she and their kids could come along to visit while th... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I am a live-in au pair to three young children, between the ages of one and five, who are beyond terrific and have really snagged my heart. I am also too embarrassed to tell e... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My parents immigrated from Serbia a few years before I was born. They had a rough time over there, and not the easiest when they arrived here. They continue to be very suspici... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My wife and I are retired, and we watch our daughters’ twin three-year-olds four days a week while she’s at work. She is a PA in a hospital and works long hours, plus has a pr... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Last Halloween, a group of kids spray-painted cuss words on the street and several trees in our neighborhood. We had only moved in a few weeks before, and we didn’t really kno... more
DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: I know my wife is super close to her parents, and I like spending time with them. But it seems since we got married, we spend more time with her family than mine. My mom hasn’... more