jeez, they’re married five years and they’ve hit a rough patch. I don’t advocate staying in bad marriages, but this is why the divorce rate is so high—things get tough, and people just bail. bad advice, Margo—she should go to counselling on her own and ask hubby to join her, and if he doesn’t, she can at least work on how to try to save her marriage for little while. If that doesn’t work after a while and he still won’t do anything different, then call it—but at least try harder. why do people get married with these ridiculous fantasies that marriage is easy?! it isn’t! sometimes there are long stretches of things not going well, but unless there’s abuse (of ANY kind), isn’t it worth sticking around a while and seeing it through? I think our generation (i’m 31) is too quick to believe that if it’s hard, it’s not worth it. i say hang in there, get counselling, and give him a chance. depression isn’t something he chose to have. if he got sick in some other way that was inconvenient, would you up and leave him then? I just think divorce should be a last resort after trying to save a marriage that sounds like it was once a good one.

how exactly is one "strict" with a one year old? i agree that the 3 year old’s behavior is completely out of control and the mom is oblivious, but the writer of the letter might want to recognize, too, that 12 months is too soon to begin "punishing your child too harshly". I found that comment worrisome.

20y/o with the boyfriend in jail: get a grip on reality. Everyone gets to make bad decisions while young and learning to navigate the dating scene, but really. How are there any women out there still getting sucked into these things? Take a step back and realize this: if everyone who cares about you is warning you against something, you should carefully consider their perspective and make some better decisions.