Dear Queenie,

  I’m going to university away from home, but my father was killed in an accident recently and I’m worried that with me away my mother is left all alone. She has friends, my father’s family and her church, but no family except for me, and all I have is her, but being away from home I also am all alone.

  Queenie, what should I do?—Daughter in mourning

Dear Daughter,

  Your mother has a “support network” in the form of friends, in-laws and church, so she is not entirely alone, and you can stay in close touch with her even though you are away from home, so you also are not entirely alone.

  Also, your school should provide counselling services to give you some kind of additional support. Or, the school may allow you to take a semester off to get your life back on track, without further affecting your education.

Dear Queenie,

  When my son was 13 years old I had to move to the United States for my job, so I let him go to live with his father so that he could stay on the island that had always been his home and would grow up with a good male role model. (I divorced his father because he cheated on me, but he was always a good father to our son.)

  My problem is that his father’s new wife has told him that I abandoned him and didn’t want anything to do with him anymore, so I haven’t heard from him for years even though I tried to keep in touch. I think his stepmother doesn’t give him my letters and I know she won’t let me talk to him on the phone.

  Queenie, how can I let him know I still love him and I want to hear from him?—Divorced mother

Dear Mother,

  Ask your son’s father to tell him that you still love him and miss hearing from him.

  If your son goes to high school or college away from home, you may be able to contact him there and tell him yourself. If he has already graduated, you may be able to get his address from the alumni association, and if he has any Internet presence on social media you may be able to contact him that way.

  I wish you good luck.

Dear Queenie,

  I’m a single woman in my 30s with a good job and lots of friends and relatives. What I don’t have is anyone to be in a serious relationship with. I have had a few dates but there wasn’t anyone I wanted to get serious about. I would like to get married and have children.

  Queenie, how can I find a man I can love who wants the same things I want?—Lonely spinster

Dear Spinster,

  Stop stressing on the subject. Nothing puts a good man off more than the feeling that he is the prey in a woman’s manhunt.

  Let all your friends and relatives know what kind of man you would like to meet. Join groups that share your interests, and go to parties and other events where you can meet lots of people. And when you meet a man you like do not pounce on him – take it easy and let him get to know you slowly!

Dear Queenie,

  I went out with my cousin and her boyfriend and a friend of his and I really liked the friend, but it turned out he already had a girlfriend and I don’t like cheaters.

  Queenie, how do I start feeling better about all this?—The other woman

Dear Other woman,

  Keep reminding yourself how much you do not like cheaters and do not respond if this guy tries to get in touch with you. And tell your cousin you do not want to see this guy again.