I want to become a single mum, but feel envious of peers with partners
I am a very lucky person who has a huge amount to be happy and grateful for. But although I have many excellent friendships, I have had…
I want to marry my girlfriend, but I’m worried it may upset my young son
I am a 44-year-old man, with a seven-year-old son. His mother and I are divorced, and I moved out when he was three. We share custody; he is with…
I am three months sober. How do I support my 11-year-old autistic son?
I am a recovering alcoholic and need advice on how to support my son, who is 11 and autistic. I am three months sober with the help of…
I’m ashamed of my daughter’s messy garden. Should I say something?
My daughter, aged nearly 50, lives in a pleasant cul-de-sac of privately owned houses. Her front garden is the only one in it that, frankly, looks a mess. The grass…
Our daughter is being controlled by a school friend. What can we do?
Our 11-year-old daughter is in a “friendship” with a classmate, which we have come to realise is unhealthy and controlling. She was very shy and self-conscious through…
A controlling partner is isolating my daughter. What can I do to help?
My daughter has gradually withdrawn from family events. She lives far from us all and doesn’t come home any more after being a real homebird. She…
I’m worried my autistic son is going to struggle socially in his new school
My son is starting secondary school in September. He is the only child from his primary transitioning to a selective grammar school. He has always struggled with friendships and I feel this is…
My mum won’t let me have a smartphone. Is she being unfair?
Dear Annalisa, My mum has always been protective, and I fear it is destroying my social lifebecause I haven’t grown up with much access to social media. I don’t mean…
My teenage daughter is in a miserable state; she has lost hope. The Guardian.
Dear Annalisa I am desperately worried about my teenage granddaughter, who is in a very miserable state. Her self-esteem is at rock bottom, she has no…
After the Manchester attack: how do I talk to my children about distressing news stories? The Guardian.
I have only once actively hidden a news item from my daughter. She was three when Madeleine McCann went missing, far too young to know about…
Annalisa Barbieri 
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