DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: My wife and I have gone to the restaurant where we had our first date and where I proposed on Valentine’s Day 2016 for our special romantic anniversaries.

As I usually do, I made reservations there for Valentine’s Day again this year. Since then I was at the restaurant for a coworker’s retirement party and I have to say the quality of the food and the service, even the cleanliness of the place has slipped a whole lot since my wife and I were there last year. I had heard from some friends that it wasn’t the same since the old owners retired and sold it to a company with several other restaurants in the area, none of them known for offering a fine dining experience.

I told my wife about my experience and the stories I heard from my friends about how things have changed at our old spot. But she feels we can put up with a less fine dining experience to be able to keep our traditions going. I can think of half a dozen other restaurants where we could enjoy better meals and atmospheres.

Is it worth pushing her towards one of those restaurants, or am I better off letting her see how things have changed for herself? --- NOT THE SAME PLACE

DEAR NOT THE SAME PLACE: It sounds as if your wife will have to see it ‒ or in this case ‒ taste it to believe it.

If she still insists on giving the old restaurant one more try after all you’ve told her about how things are under the new ownership, although it may lead to a disappointing Valentine’s Day dinner, it’s also possibly the only way she’ll be convinced it’s time to find a new sentimental favorite.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Why anyone would think this slimeball I’m stuck working with is attractive is completely beyond me. But to hear this guy talk, he has a different girl waiting every time he tells his wife he is heading “out with the boys.”

He shares every gross detail of his hookups the next day, and when one of us tries to shut him down, he just finds someone else to corner and brag to.

This guy is tight with the top HR officer, so whenever a complaint is lodged ‒ and there have been a few since I’ve been working there ‒ it gets “investigated” and dropped. Convenient, huh?

How do we shut this guy up? --- HE’S SO GROSS

DEAR HE’S SO GROSS: If your coworker has a guardian angel in HR, it could be time to start documenting instances of his bragging sessions to bring up with someone outside that department, such as your or his supervisor.

I can’t imagine any company would want to leave itself open to charges of sexual harassment, which his behavior has a good chance of being considered.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: Six years ago I was diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In the past I have managed it better than I have been able to this winter. I had my baby in early December and my doctor told me postpartum depression can add to my SAD. My therapist, my doctor, and I have been working together to get me through this hard time.

I am blessed to have a lot of support around me. My husband, mom, and sister are great and with me all the way. My mother-in-law is just the opposite. She told me I just have to “pull myself together and keep busy.” She said that is what got her through her own “baby blues.”

She doesn’t understand what I have is more than “baby blues.” There are days where just getting started in the morning takes everything I have. By the time my husband gets home from work I am completely empty.

Like I said, my mother and sister have been a huge help, but they both work and my sister has two kids of her own. My husband steps in and helps me when I have a bad day, even though he has put in a full day at work and is tired too.

When his mother comes to visit, she helps me for a while in the morning, then heads out to see her old friends or go shopping. She gets back by the time my husband gets home, and she makes passive aggressive little comments about what I did all day, especially since she helped me with the morning routine.

Her visits just make everything worse for me. Our daughter is her first grandchild, so I know she wants to be part of her life, but right now she is making my life difficult.

Do I ask her to stop visiting, or just stop expecting anything from her visits other than the smallest help and the heaviest criticism? --- DOING MY BEST

DEAR DOING MY BEST: Asking your mother-in-law to stop visiting is certainly one option, but it’s not likely to go over well with her.

A potentially more diplomatic back-up plan would be to ask her to babysit for her granddaughter during the usual morning routine time for even a little bit so that you’re able to get out of the house for a short break. It could be as simple as a supermarket run, a chance to grab a cup of coffee with a friend, or a walk around the neighborhood.

These quick outings would provide you with some separation from your unsympathetic mother-in-law and hopefully help you with your SAD and postpartum struggles.

Whatever approach you decide on, I strongly recommend you have your husband onboard before bringing it up with your mother-in-law. A united front should result in a stronger argument for getting you what you need for your own mental health.