Doing Life Together

Family conflict: Rob was caught between his  mother and his wife. ” I know your mom thinks she is helping, but if she tells me one more time how to parent our children, I’m leaving. Talk to her! I am tired of her negative comments to me.” Rob wasn’t sure what to do. Should he confront…

When I was in college and on break for Thanksgiving vacation, my very loud and opinionated family started discussing politics. We all know the rule—stay away from politics during a holiday gathering. Well, we didn’t and two of my uncles had me in tears as we discussed the results of a presidential election. The conversation…

Money is a part of relationship issues from the moment you begin to date.  Who will pay, how will transactions be handled? Then there is the wedding. CNN estimates the average cost is $32,405! Yikes! Once the commitment is made, raising a family isn’t cheap either. From college tuition to assisted living, money arguments  are the top…

Jack left work late, didn’t call his wife and missed the school meeting. When he finally arrived home, he looked at his wife and said, “Don’t start. I’ve had a lousy day!” No apology. He walked away and his wife was angry! Not a good way to handle the situation. Missing from this interaction was an apology. Jack…

It’s Halloween and kids will come to our doors dressed in their favorite costumes. What I’ve noticed is that the costumes for adults tended to be “naughty.” And some of the kid Halloween costumes  have the same theme. Many of the costumes sexualize girls. Short skirts, fishnet stockings, revealing body parts — a sharp contrast to the boys. Take the…

Reader Question: My daughter has been diagnosed with depression. The pediatrician is recommending she take an antidepressant. She is only 11-years -old and I am not sure this is a good idea. She is depressed and there are reasons for her depression. What are your thoughts about putting children on antidepressants?  Trust me, you are…

Americans are losing their common sense. We are becoming offended by almost anything. Here is the latest thing that simply defies reality. Students at University of California Fullerton were asked to provide a list of “inappropriate” words because they are too gendered. Too gendered? I don’t even understand the assignment. What does it mean to be “too gendered?”…

Jim made an appointment to be seen by a therapist for anxiety problems. Little did he know that behind his anxiety could be an anger problem. As the therapist dug deeper into Jim’s history, it was discovered that Jim had years of holding on to anger at a relative who did him harm. The more Jim talked…

No matter how difficult our relationships can be, most adult children want a good relationship with their mothers. Whether your  relationship is great, terrible, or somewhere in between, mother-daughter relationships are powerful and partially define who we are. The more you work through issues with your mom, the better all your other relationships will be. Here are a…

When it comes to a couple’s sex life, what is normal? Twice a week, once a month, every day?” The answer depends on a number of factors, making a pat answer difficult. Things like medications, caretaking young children, taking antidepressants, and more affect a person’s sexual desire. I laugh at the scene in the movie, Annie…

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