DEAR ABBY: Was I spreading gossip by telling my former husband that our granddaughter’s wedding was off? We had just returned from their engagement party. It is my understanding that one wants to cancel, while the other wants to go through with it.
The wedding is a year away and this has been the talk of the family for the past six months. Apparently, there has been trouble in paradise because she had an affair. As a result, they are now going to counseling. Our granddaughter said she was going to move back in with her mother for a while. – “GOSSIP” IN CALIFORNIA
DEAR “GOSSIP”: While news that the wedding may be off should be the privilege of the engaged couple to reveal, I don’t think telling your former husband there is trouble in paradise and what it entailed was gossip. It is not a secret within the family, and her grandfather IS a relative regardless of the fact that the two of you are divorced.
DEAR ABBY: I’m a 13-year-old (American) boy with a problem. I act childish, as in hugging my mom every day and saying “I love you” to her. If anyone in my middle school finds out about this, I’m dead meat. Could you please give me some advice? – SAD IN SOUTH KOREA
DEAR SAD: Gladly. Hugging one’s mother and telling her you love her is nothing to be embarrassed about. It isn’t “childish,” but shows you are a caring son and have a great relationship with her. (Not all teenagers, or their moms, are so lucky.) I see no reason to announce anything to your schoolmates that’s private – first, because the relationship you have with your mom is none of their business, and second, they probably hug their mothers, too.