Hailey

Our girls are 6 and in the same grade but my daughter is 8 months older. My daughter is pretty well rounded, has lots of friends, pretty diplomatic and is able to express herself. She's also at an ideal weight. Our neighbor is quite the opposite. She is shy, obese, not as quick to get things, and absolutely cannot stand up for herself-the slightest thing will make her cry. She can't handle any conflict.

I'm friends with her mom and we've been getting together every week for over a year.

Lately her mom finds the slightest thing my daughter says and waits for her daughter to stand up for herself, which she doesn't, and then makes a big deal of how my daughter has an attitude. For instance, my daughter said she doesn't want to sit next to her at dinner, which wasn't nice, but it wasn't drastic. Meanwhile, they played nicely for 3 hours before that. But because her daughter obeyed and then sat in another chair then proceeded to cry, my friend decided that they can't play together until further notice.

I understand my friend wants her daughter to be more assertive but sometimes I think she overreacts to what my daughter says/does. I've tried to explain to my daughter that she is 'sensitive' but it doesn't help when she repeats that to me right in front of her! They ARE very different and it feels like we have to cater to my daughter's friend a lot of the time.

My question is-will my daughter's friend grow out of this phase and is my daughter bossy?

Would the love you have for your partner diminish if they were to gain 30-50 pounds from when you first met? This is to say that you may not be able to help the way you feel. Would you secretly love your partner less?

Consequently, would you love your partner more if they were to lose weight?

Someone I know has two 80 pound dogs who are middle aged. He has two large crates for them in the dining room-and the dogs are only allowed in the dining room and kitchen-probably a 14x10 foot space. They get 3 regular walks a day and get fed 2 cups of food once at dinner. They are not allowed to bark, ever. One is blind. The dogs are crated at night and whenever they leave the house (during the week this is most of the day).

When I had a dog growing up, it was a maltese toy dog weighing 12 pounds and she got irregular walks and food, and had many accidents, jumped up and barked at people. And she had full run of the house. I disagreed with the way the maltese was brought up, knowing back then that she should have regular walks and food and more discipline.

So I think these are the two extremes. I can see the logic with the way my friend has his dogs, but sometimes I think he's too hard on them. I would just like to know what you all think.

I became a single mom when she was 5 months old. We planned her and were together for 3 years before I got pregnant. He said he had to 'go find himself'. Court...he now pays regular child support.

I got laid off on maternity leave....unemployed for 2 years....couldn't get back into my medical field because of the economy. I have been very broke and no health insurance for years and have been back to work for 8 months full time.

I relied on child support money before while I was unemployed....and now....as a source of income and budget accordingly.

Yet my mom seems to think I shouldn't rely on it/expect it (we are not on good terms). I hear the same thing from my ex (I shouldn't have to pay for your living expenses).

Why shouldn't I rely on regular child support as a SOURCE of income (not the only source)?

I just started my job though I've been in my field for 7 years. I just learned after 1 week I will be promoted to be the shift manager. I am 35 and keep to myself-worked by myself for years.

Most of my coworkers (4) joke and non stop talk through the shift. The youngest, 25, was put in charge to help me this week (since I was still learning the system) and not only did she not help me, she criticized me every chance she could. She is a whiner and an extrovert, and I'm a professional and an introvert. AND I've been doing this for 7 years and am registered. She has been maybe doing this for 1 year and is not registered.

I have appeared aloof, meek when I do speak, and have learned in life not to share many details about myself at work-which might make me appear unfriendly since I try not to talk too much.

How can I get respect from those two coworkers I don't like? How do I make it clear that they can't walk all over me?

We both have 3 year olds. I work nights so DD will stay 2 nights and 2 full days. Her daughter isn't a bully-but a normal 3 year old who is just more energetic than my daughter. My daughter is the cautious and sensitive type. Still, when I had this arrangement earlier this year, after a few weeks my daughter became aggressive. Yesterday when I saw them playing together, her daughter persisted in taking a toy away from my daughter, who let her, then burst into tears. (My friend did put her daughter in time out at THAT point).

My friend thinks its normal for children to fight and she has 3 girls in all. My friend will let them 'try to work it out first' before stepping in. How can I approach my friend, without offending her, that I would prefer her daughter to not hit/offend my daughter and to ensure that time out is used on both sides?

I have primary custody of my child and have gone back to work-I started the court process in January 2014. There were two things to finalize-the visitation and child support, and they were on different days in Feb. My ex made them for March 5th. It was snowing on March 4th and I checked many sources, saw that the schools were closed, tried calling the court and got no answer, and really thought it was closed. I missed court. It turned out it was open, so that's the first 'failure to show'.

Then I got a subpoena to show up April 11th. I assumed this was for the date to finalize everything. I show up to juvenile court-they told me to go home-that I'm not in court that day.

I go to court today. Court finalized. When I went to get my release papers, they arrested me on a capias. I was told that I could be in the holding cell all night, got no phone call, no bond. I was frightened, angry, and confused. Then I was released 15 minutes later and now have a court date coming up.

I have looked up the codes and the maximum sentence is 1-5 years in jail on a class 6 felony! I'm scared out of my mind. The stipulation is that I had to not show up to court 'willfully'. I honestly thought court was cancelled on March 5th and I did go to court on April 11th. I don't have the subpoena for April 11th to verify which court and I'll get that tomorrow.

Why would I miss my own court date to get additional child support money

What is the most probable outcome?

Hello. I work for a small doctor's office in a specialty department. My department is just myself and my boss. We both have another boss. So I've been working here about 6 months. For the past few months, I've determined she is very petty. She points out the smallest of things and nothing is ever good enough. I dealt with her at first by trying to reason with her. Then our boss heard of our quarrel and told me that only he can fire me, and suggested that we are more or less on the same level.

So for the past 2 months, I've noticed several actions that I feel are geared towards derailing me. I've been accused of stealing from the copayments twice, work that I've been doing from the beginning is now changed and I'm quite sure she is changing it, and the way she leaves the equipment for me is hypocritical-all messy, when she insists on me leaving everything spotless.

I think she's messing with me. I have not been speaking to her for over a month on email-not returning them. She does actions, then in her email acts like nothing is going on. I've been taking pictures of how she leaves the equipment and tried to talk to the office manager, who agrees that she is petty. But nothing is resolved.

I have been quite upset for awhile and am currently looking for another job. With that said, do you think she wants to argue with me? Its like she's putting bait out there and I'm not taking it. Is ignoring her a good strategy?

I had my 3 year old watched by a 16 year old and her mom oversaw her. It fell through after a few months because the babysitter was in a lot of sports and babysitting 'interfered' with her life. We three discussed it and I was shocked to hear the mom tell me her thoughts. She said it is unrealistic for me to expect a babysitter to be 100% reliable, that things can happen like someone goes in the hospital.

Ok, but in this case, I witnessed and they admitted that the babysitter wanted 'me' time during the time she watched my daughter. They went on one 3 hour trip, hardly without consulting me (2 hours notice and I had no other choice but to let her go), stayed in a hotel and arrived at midnight, and drove 3 hours back the next day. Also, sometimes they would go to the store during the time she was supposed to be napping. Don't get me wrong, she was attentive most of the time. She was also 'too busy' to text me how she did that night because she had a lot of homework.

I confronted and then fired the babysitter after she 'decided to go out of town' the weekend I expected her to work-we had this arrangement for a few months and I thought we both agreed it would end in May, when the summer babysitter came back. I had to scramble at the last minute to find someone to cover a weekend night shift.

I have had my 'summer nanny' since last year. We have become really good friends. She is 21 and in college. So her sister, who just turned 16 and has not had a paying job, has been taking care of my 3 year old. She does a good job. I owe back money to the sister, about $2000 worth. I feel really bad and doing everything I can to pay it back (my tax return and court for additional child support got delayed).

So the sister has been watching my child for about 3 months. She does after school sports and doesn't drive, so sometimes I have had to change plans at the last minute. Usually I can still make it work (I work nights). But there have been times she tells me last minute she is going to visit the summer nanny (her sister) who is 3 hours away, stay at a hotel, for the weekend (with the parents). I have not had a say in this before. There are also times she goes shopping midday when my child should be taking a nap. I have also asked her to simply text me after she goes to sleep and I got an attitude.

This weekend, between her games and her mom not being able to watch my child, I had to scramble to find a NIGHT babysitter last minute. I did, but then tonight she tells me she is going out of town this weekend. I told her I don't want my child going out of town and that she didn't even ask me first.

Long story, I'm going to fire her. But how do I deal with this mess now? The family has taken to her and within a few weeks my summer nanny will be back.

My younger sister, who is 31, has been in a relationship with a guy for right around 6 months. They were monogamous from practically the third date. She has only had one other relationship in her life, which lasted 2 years. That ended a few years ago. I have always known her to be single, so I'm still getting used to her being with someone. They had planned to move in together after 1 year of dating. Now its 6 months.

I know its her relationship. I am just curious what you all think. I have met the guy and he seems sincere and a good person. I just wish she would keep in mind that she has the rest of her life with this guy (she says he's the one and that they plan to get married). Why rush to move in so quickly? I hope she knows what she's doing.

I work for a small doctor's office. There are 3 departments. I work in a department where it is just myself and my 'boss'. Lately my boss and I are having difficulties. I have been speaking to the general office manager about it, and today she is not returning my calls. The real boss is the doctor, and he has told me lately that only he can fire me.

Tomorrow there is a meeting that I'm sure was initiated by my boss. Well, I wasn't invited. It was on the general calendar and that's how I found out about it.

I feel like I should go because it is MY department's meeting. But I'm quite sure it is a meeting for my boss to discuss me with the other bosses. For the record, I am an excellent employee. The only gripe she has against me is that she claims there are times I am less than tidy-and I have taken pictures as proof-she is a neat freak, a control freak, and a perfectionist. Even the office manager told me that she is 'territorial' and 'petty'.

Should I go to the meeting? If so, how should I act?

I am 35 and a single mom to a 3 year old. I have a Bachelor's so I'm at the middle of the road. I could go on to a Masters and do occupational therapy or go back to an associates and get a nursing degree. I have been working the last 6 years as sleep tech, but it is VERY limited and I don't like working nights.

My reservations I have about OT are that the tuition is around $50k, it is very competitive to get in (so I may not get in), I still need to take the GREs and then it is a 2.5 year program. I will be close to 40 when I get it.

My reservations about nursing are that I have somewhat of a bad memory (I have ADHD and worry I will forget important things like who is taking what medication), I'm clumsy with needles (though I know nursing has a lot of avenues), and I like autonomy which I don't know how much of that I could get with nursing.

However, I'm quite confident I would get into the nursing program. Keep in mind I'm a single mom so things are already hard for me as it is.

Should I pursue OT or nursing?

I have one 3 year old. I have heard of working from home but I want to hear from others who are actually doing it. What is your story?

I would like to know do you work for a small company (less than 50 people) or large, and how much red tape do you deal with? I'm talking about BS from coworkers, bosses, deadlines, people lying, cheating, or stealing. Things like how long it should take versus how long things actually take. And other BS that you found out about after working there for some time.

Why do you stay?

How do you deal with it? Do you confront it, side with certain people, or ignore it? Do you do something in your off time like sports to counter all the frustration you feel?

Is the red tape temporary or permanent? What if the majority of BS comes from your direct boss? How do you deal with her/him?

I work at a doctor's office. There is just myself and my boss (the middle manager) in my department. I have been working here 4 months. She is a neat freak but I try to do everything she asks. It never seems good enough. Finally she has been complaining to upper management-the doctor.

I had a talk with him tonight and to my surprise, he wanted to hear my side of things. In so many words he said I could go over her head on a few things.

I gather this will make it even more tense between my boss and I and she will continue to be nitpicky about things. How do I deal with her? I don't want to battle or argue with her, nor have to defend myself. I really feel like just ignoring her. The doctor told me only he is allowed to fire me, so hearing that has made me feel much more comfortable working there. Overall I think I do an excellent job.