Dear Queenie,

My aunt offered to host a family dinner for Easter, but my uncle had lost his job so my grandfather said we should all chip in to pay for it and we should all bring some food. He says this will be okay because it would cost us all a lot more to go out to a restaurant for the dinner.

Queenie, what do you think?—Hosting Etty Ket

Dear Etty Ket,

I see no problem with it. Just be grateful that you are not the one who has lost their job and has financial problems.

Dear Queenie,

I’ve known my boyfriend and his sister since we were all in school and my boyfriend and I have been together for a couple of years now. In all the time I’ve known him and his sister, when we’re all at a party he dances with his sister. He says it’s because she’s a good dancer and she can’t find good partners.

I want him to dance with me too sometimes but she gets mad at him when he dances with me instead of her.

Queenie, I wish he would dance with one of us or the other, but not both. What do you think?—Dancing girlfriend

Dear Girlfriend,

Arguing with your boyfriend about his dancing with his sister makes you look jealous and will spoil any friendly relationship you have with his sister. He may prefer to dance with his sister because she is a better dancer than you are.

The best thing would be if he dances an equal number of times with each of you, but, as I said, making an issue of this will only make you look bad – and it could spoil things between you and your boyfriend.

Dear Queenie,

My father-in-law never wants to do anything with me and my wife and our kids. He is a widower and my wife is his only child. I have tried to be friendly with him but nothing works.

Queenie, what more can I do?—Fed-up son-in-law

Dear Son-in-law,

Has your father-in-law always been this way? Is it possible that he just does not like you or does not like the way you and your wife are raising your children? Or maybe he just is not the fatherly sort and prefers to be independent of further family relationships.

I hope your own family does better for you in that regard.

Dear Queenie,

A member of our family asked us not to have any more contact with her. Both of her parents have passed away and we are the only family she has left.

Queenie, what should we do?—Worried relatives

Dear Relatives,

Assuming this relative is not under pressure from an abusive boyfriend or husband who wants to isolate her, you should do as she asks. However, be sure to tell her that you care about her and that you will be there for her if/when she ever wants to get in touch again.