Dear Abby: My friend treats her stepson like Cinderella, I can’t stand to watch

DEAR ABBY: My beloved friend, “Sandra,” is joined pinch 2 children. She and her hubby person a 4-year-old boy together and different boy from her husband’s first matrimony who is 14. The 14-year-old’s life is tough, overmuch for illustration Cinderella’s. Sandra treats him very badly. She has him doing each of nan housework successful their home, belittles him perpetually and is very vocal astir really overmuch she dislikes him. Her 4-year-old tin do nary wrong. 

The older boy’s mother has weekends pinch her son, but Sandra is unfastened astir not liking her either. I consciousness bad astir really nan boy is treated and want to talk to Sandra astir it, but I don’t cognize really to bring up nan delicate taxable and support my narration pinch nan family. Her hubby is wholly connected Sandra’s side, truthful he does thing to thief nan boy person a amended life. Can you connection immoderate advice? — FEELING FOR HIM IN WASHINGTON

DEAR FEELING: Somebody has to intervene for that boy. Why does his uncaring begetter person custody? Could he enactment pinch his mother afloat time? Are location immoderate different relatives who could return him in? And why would you want a narration pinch a heartless mates who are truthful emotionally abusive? 

Because you apparently are nan only personification who cares astatine each astir that boy, do a small investigation astir imaginable replacement situations for him. However, if location are none, interaction kid protective services arsenic a past resort. You won’t prevention your relationship pinch Sandra, but you whitethorn prevention that child.

DEAR ABBY: My hubby asked maine to spell into his email inbox and settee an rumor pinch an airline. An email popped up: “Your memories from 8 years ago” from a celebrated photograph website. We person been together 8 years, and I thought I would spot photos of us. They weren’t. It was photos of him pinch his ex-fiancee, including his elaborate proposal. The connection was thing retired of a dream. (He projected to maine connected our family room couch.) I besides realized her ringing is precisely for illustration mine.

I’m truthful hurt. He has ne'er been that romanticist pinch maine aliases put overmuch thought into my gifts. Actually, 1 twelvemonth he gave maine furniture sheets for Christmas, which I ne'er requested. Meanwhile, I’m nan 1 who puts effort into his family’s cards and gifts and helps them pinch celebrations. 

My day was this period — I’m 8 months pregnant and I had to prime retired and bargain my ain day gift because he said he didn’t cognize what to get me. When I fto him cognize really wounded I consciousness astir everything, he conscionable said, “Let maine conscionable spell backmost successful time,” and walked away. I consciousness hurt, stuck and unloved. Am I overreacting? — CRUSHED IN NEW JERSEY

DEAR CRUSHED: I understand your disappointment, but my proposal is to revisit this taxable aft your kid is calved and you person had much clip to deliberation astir it. I don’t cognize what happened pinch your husband’s anterior relationship, but if it had been terrific, it would person lasted. Not each men are bully astatine readying proposals aliases choosing cards and gifts, but often they dress up for it successful different ways. Bide your time.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, besides known arsenic Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby astatine http://www.DearAbby.com aliases P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.