My husband hasn't seen or spoken to his Mom in seven years. They had a falling out when his Dad died.
My kids have been asking about their Grandmother; I sent her a Christmas card with their picture. He got upset, saying I had no right to do that without his permission.
If he doesn't want her in his life, that's fine, the kids and I can go and see her, she lives nearby. He believes that she's manipulative and will put lots of stuff into their heads.
I need to know that I'm doing the right thing by contacting her.
My husband has anger issues, which I think are related to his dad dying, but he refuses to get professional help.
We've not been getting along, and I also asked for marriage counselling, but he thinks we can resolve it at home, ourselves.
What are your thoughts?

- Confused in Ontario

He's already shown how he deals with serious problems - he shuts them off, as he's done with his mother. And he tries to control things - as in keeping his kids away from his Mom, and keeping you both from marital therapy which would open up discussion.
But you can't change him overnight, and your bigger issue is the marriage.
Though your kids could benefit from grandmotherly comfort, it's not the time to push an arrangement which he resists. Tell him you both need help learning to work on your marriage. For example, he has anger issues, yet you press his hot buttons, threatening to see his Mom no matter how he feels about it.
When he hears you share responsibility for your conflicts, he might be more willing to try to save the marriage.

My boyfriend of six years has the worst case of chronic stomach upset. He says it's due to dairy products although he's not lactose intolerant.
I've asked him to go see a doctor but he refuses.
His poor health puts a strain on our relationship because we both love to dine out. Almost immediately after each meal, he rushes to the washroom and stays in there for hours, then returns to the table looking pale as a ghost. He then blames me for wanting to eat out.
We can't eat at home because we both can't cook and have given up trying because we don't cooperate in the kitchen, and then we lose our appetites.
What should I do?

- Gastric Disaster

Two stubborn mules make for a team that can't move forward.
Since he'd rather suffer pain than have a doctor check out his stomach health; and since you'd both rather claim incompetence than learn to cook or order appropriately, your relationship is stuck in the toilet.
However, if either of you seek information, you might find that his symptoms could well reflect Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which, according to gastro-intestinal experts, can seriously compromise a person's quality of life, unless he learns to handle it.
Chronic and recurrent IBS symptoms can disrupt professional activities, too; and limit an individual's potential.
While this is more his problem than yours, continuing to accompany him for these punishing meals (six years?) is equally foolish.
An ultimatum is worth the risk, here - either he sees a doctor to rule out disease, and then a nutritionist/dietician to work out a food plan, or you walk away.

I recently ran into an ex-boyfriend; we're both married with children and still attracted to each other.
We got together and had a great night of love-making. I think he's scared and doesn't want to see that that he wants to be with me just as much as I want him!
How do I make him feel that this is right? I'm willing to leave my husband; and he keeps saying we should have never broken up.

- Passion Again

When you're considering breaking up two families with children, you better be sure both of you are equally prepared for the fallout - including hostile spouses, angry kids, difficult separations, legal hassles, and potential custody battles.
Sure, it happens, but don't try to excuse all the upheaval that's ahead by saying "this is right." Besides, he doesn't seem to be that convinced.
Think it through.
The passion of a rekindled affair is heady, but you'll be spending a lot of time dealing with harsh realities if you go ahead with this plan.