February 26, 2022 Issue, Page 5 of 10

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5 February 26, 2022 Activities Mom-friends take different paths in providing for kids other children and she should right to grieve. This is all HER Dear Abby appreciate what she has. grief and HER pain -- she has Should I cut ties with Ash- actually told me as much. She DEAR ABBY: I met my friend ley? Should I mention my “Ashley” and her daughter has said, more than once, that concerns to her? Or are my three years ago. Our daughters daughter and I overreacting? she doesn’t know why I bother are 9 years old. Ashley makes -- DOING WELL ENOUGH to get so upset. good money and is married. I’m seeing a counselor, but I’m a single mom. I do well as DEAR DOING WELL: I don’t I’m having a hard time forgiv- a registered nurse, but I’m not think you or your daughter are ing her behavior. I lost my fa- on her level when it comes to overreacting. In life, you -- and money. ther and my brother! Worse, she -- will always encounter We all get along great and people who have more materi- she tells her friends I don’t have a lot in common. How- al things than you. (The reverse care about these losses. Please ever, Ashley buys her daugh- may also be true.) Because this advise. -- GRIEVING AND ter, “Mimi,” a lot. Every time is happening regularly, I can HEARTBROKEN we go out, she buys Mimi see why your daughter feels as something. If I buy a gift for she does. DEAR GRIEVING: Continue my daughter for her birthday, If it happened occasionally, Christmas, etc., Ashley buys talking with your counselor I might respond differently, the same thing for Mimi. I got but you wrote that this is a fre- not only about your deep sense my daughter into ice skating quent occurrence. A conversa- of grief over the loss of your three years ago. Ashley then tion with Ashley is in order. If dad and your brother, but also proceeded to buy her daughter your relationship survives the about your relationship with professional ice skates, acces- conversation, consider social- your mother. Not knowing her, sories, skating costumes, pri- izing with her but doing your vate lessons and entered her in I cannot decide whether she is gift-buying privately. skate club, shows and competi- deep into her own grief or sim- tions. DEAR ABBY: My mother ply so deep into HERSELF that Needless to say, my daughter and I have never had the best she can’t relate to you. I am is sometimes jealous of all the relationship. It has only gotten sorry you didn’t mention your things Mimi gets. For me, it’s worse since my dad passed in age or whether you live with not about the money. It’s the 2020, followed by my brother, her, but it’s important that Crossword principle that I’m not going to who passed in 2021. My uncle, spoil my daughter like that. I Mom’s younger brother, also you work on becoming, at the remind my daughter she’s still passed in 2021. My problem very least, emotionally inde- more fortunate than a lot of is that Mom acts like I have no pendent from her. Current puzzle answers Get Fuzzy Drabble Dailies Pearls Before Swine Garfield Dilbert