Author Jeanne Phillips, the daughter of the original advice columnist Dear Abby, poses for a photo in Los Angeles, Friday, Oct. 5, 2007.DEAR ABBY: I’m 16 and a single mom of an almost 4-month-old girl. Her father is a drug addict. He manipulated me into having sex, which I had told him I didn’t want to do until I was married. Also, I told him from the beginning of our relationship that if we ever got married and started a family, I never wanted drugs around my children.
The day I found out I was pregnant, he was there. However, later that night when I went out to the garage, I caught him snorting. Is it wrong of me to not involve him in her life? I’ve given him multiple chances to prove himself of being worthy. – TEEN MOM
DEAR TEEN MOM: You’re not wrong. As long as your boyfriend is involved with drugs, they will come first, and you and your child won’t be able to count on him – for anything. This is why it is crucial that you now make your education a priority and earn your high school diploma. You are going to need one – and possibly further education – in order to support the both of you. In the meantime, a counselor at your high school can guide you regarding financial aid if you need it.
DEAR ABBY: I am a 24-year-old Muslim woman who has fallen in love with an agnostic 35-year-old man, “William.” The next step in our relationship is marriage, and my problem is our future kids.
My family expects me to marry a Muslim man and have Muslim children. William says that the kids may grow up not wanting to be Muslim, as I would like to raise them, and says he would support whatever they want to be.