Dear Annie: My husband and I have a 3-year-old daughter, and we’re trying to raise her with structure -- regular bedtime, limited screen time and no sweets before meals. The problem is my mother-in-law. She watches our daughter twice a week, and despite repeated conversations, she ignores ...

Dear Heloise: I read with interest the letter from Margaret about reading and our children. I know we all have busy lives, but children and their education are very important. Teaching them to sound out words and read is only the beginning. The American educational system actually begins in ...

Dear Annie: My best friend, “Cara,” has been dating a guy for about six months who, frankly, none of our friends can stand. He talks over her constantly, makes inappropriate jokes, and once made a rude comment about her weight right in front of us. She brushed it off like it was nothing, ...

Dear Heloise: Like many have submitted, I also have a hint for reusing Christmas cards. You might have printed this before, but maybe it’s worth repeating. I give new life to my old cards by using them as gift tags the next year. It is nice to reread them, and my tree always looks ...

Dear Annie: My supervisor and I worked closely together for more than 30 years. Over that time, he became more than a boss; he was a friend. Even after he and his wife retired to Florida, he kept in touch, calling every week or two to check in with a handful of us from the old office. When he ...

Dear Heloise: My cat stopped using his litter box for reasons he never explained, but he was happy to use a pee pad. So, after trying many other things to retrain him, I tossed the litter away and put a pad in a new but empty litter box. He has resumed using his box, and as I am able to switch ...