Dear Queenie,

I am raising 2 children by myself because their father is deceased and I never get any alone time because I can’t afford a babysitter. No one, not family, relatives or friends, ever offers to help, and I am just exhausted.

Queenie, do you have any suggestions?—Worn-out mother

Dear Mother,

Have you ever asked anyone – family, relatives or friends – for help? They are not mind-readers, you know. And check with community service organisations for possible help.

Dear Queenie,

There is no love in my marriage anymore. We hardly ever talk to each other and we have separate bedrooms and I mostly stay in mine because it’s easier than being together.

Queenie, I’m sure things could be better, but what can I do?—Frustrated spouse

Dear Spouse,

Get professional marriage counselling with your spouse, or without them if they are unwilling to go, to help you learn how to make things better between you or, if that is not possible, how to go about dissolving the relationship.

Dear Queenie,

My parents don’t have any friends or hobbies so they depend on me and my wife and our children for their social life. Our children do a lot of sports and my parents come to all their games, but then they talk all the time about other things so we can’t pay attention to the game. They want us to spend every weekend and holiday with them, so we can’t visit or celebrate just us and our kids, or with my wife’s family.

They are nice people, but sometimes my wife and I would like to be together on an occasion just us and our children and all this is getting to be a problem.

Queenie, how do we get them to let us have some time without them?—Fed-up father

Dear Father,

An occasional dinner with you and your wife and children is reasonable, but your parents’ wishes are excessive; they expect too much of you.

It is okay to tell them “no” sometimes – firmly, but politely – and your wife must agree and stand with you on this. If you can make it stick, your parents will just have to learn to live with the reduced “together” time.

Dear Queenie,

I like to read a book while I am eating my lunch, but very often a friend or co-worker will come and join me and start talking even though they can see I am reading. I know it is rude to read when someone is talking to you, but this is the only chance I have.

Queenie, I don’t bother them when they are doing a puzzle or talking on their phone. Why do they do it to me?—Faithful reader

Dear Faithful reader,

I hope this does not happen when you are reading my column!

Of course it is rude to read when you are sitting at a table with other people. However, when someone interrupts you when you are sitting alone and reading, just ask them to excuse you and go on reading.