Opinion

DEAR ABBY: I recently found out I am pregnant. I’m only 17 and scared I won’t be a good mother. I’m also anxious about giving birth. I’m due in three months, so I know time is going by fast. My mother never taught me right from wrong, and having to raise a child at my age is really scary. I don’t want to give my baby up for adoption because I know God does things in mysterious ways. I feel like this is an obstacle he is putting me through to make me stronger in life. Can you give me some advice on how to be a good mother or guide me on how to give my child the necessities? -- CONCERNED TEENAGE MOTHER DEAR CONCERNED: You will be facing challenging circumstances. Consider talking to a social worker at the hospital where you will give birth for advice on how to get the necessities for your baby. It is more important now than ever to complete your education by getting your high school diploma or a GED, so you will be able to better support the child. A trusted teacher or counselor at school may be able to guide you. If there are older, more experienced family members who are willing, they may be able to offer emotional and practical support. And, if possible, the baby’s father should be involved.

DEAR ABBY: I have been married 14 years and have two children. The first three years of marriage were great. We both cared for and respected each other. As our children grew older and our jobs have become more demanding, my husband has changed about how he views our sex life.

DEAR ABBY: I’m an adoptive mother who has had more than my fair share of inappropriate comments directed at me and my children. They usually come from strangers or acquaintances. I’m about up to here with them, so I thought I would write you about etiquette for interacting with adoptive families: Though we may stand out to you, we think of ourselves as a family like any other. Please do NOT start a conversation with us that has the sole purpose of pointing out the obvious. Remember that my children have ears.

DEAR ABBY: My wife, “Cynthia,” and I are a middle- aged couple who have been married four years. Shortly after our wedding, she suffered a stroke during a heart transplant. After she returned home from the hospital, a “friend” told her I was having an affair (I wasn’t). Without telling me why, Cynthia threw me out of the house and returned to a distant state to be near her family. She had most of her belongings shipped there.

DEAR ABBY: Five years ago, my older brother had an accident and needed to live at my parents’ house while he recovered. He brought along his 4-yearold dog, “Pepper.” The dog needed to be on a special diet.

DEAR ABBY: One of my husband’s sisters has eight kids, ranging from 15 months to 20 years old. She hasn’t taken care of any of them for more than three years. They never saw a doctor, they didn’t have food in the house, and she was abusive.

DEAR ABBY: I know a young newlywed couple who just had their first baby. The baby is weeks old and isn’t crawling yet. My concern is that they have a box turtle for a pet in their small apartment. They’ve had the turtle for probably a year and, while it has a cage, they often let it loose in the kitchen. I don’t know if it has reign over other parts of the home.

DEAR ABBY: How do you break up with a friend? “Jenny” and I have known each other since high school, more than 30 years. Over the years we’ve both moved far apart and see each other every couple of years. We were each other’s bridesmaids, supported each other as our parents passed away and celebrated graduations and wedding anniversaries.

DEAR ABBY: My daughter has two boys who treat her like crap. They swear, call her a b----, whore, liar and the f-word. They break things in her house and have no respect for anyone. The problem started after she broke up with their biological father and married her new boyfriend. The father brainwashes the boys to do these things to make life a living hell with her new husband.