What do we need to know before adopting a child who has been abused? We're considering adopting a child under the age of 2 who was removed from his birth home due to abuse when only a few months old. He has been in the foster-care system for the past year. What kind of risks are we facing?

Is there anything I can do about a husband who simply refuses to get a job and work? We've been married for twelve years, and for the last ten he's stayed home and done nothing all day while I've gone off to work. He contributes nothing to our home and family. It's all "take" and no "give" with him. One of our kids was recently diagnosed with a medical condition that will be costly to treat and my job will no longer cover our expenses. Yet he still plans to maintain the status quo. Do you have any advice for me?

Can you help me and my new spouse set some reasonable financial goals for our life together? We haven't been married very long, and my husband is already talking about buying a house and setting up retirement funds. Meanwhile, I'm concerned about paying rent and buying groceries. Is he being realistic? Am I worrying unnecessarily? Is there a way to balance these two perspectives?

How important is it for family members to talk to one another on a regular basis? Communication has been an "issue" in our marriage for a long time, but recently I've noticed that the problem is spreading to the kids as well: it seems that none of us spend any time actually talking to each other anymore. I have no idea how this has happened, and I'm alarmed at what it says about the quality of our family relationships. What can I do to reverse the situation?

How can I make my husband understand that I don't want to have intercourse as often as he does? When I respond that I'm not in the mood, he gets angry and tells me that there are all kinds of things that he does for me when he's "not in the mood" – like going to work, washing the dishes, helping with the housework. I've tried to explain that it's not the same thing, but either he isn't listening or he doesn't believe me. Is there something wrong with me?

How should I respond when my child tells me that my ex-spouse has been making some very critical and unkind statements about me? What's the wisest way to handle this situation?

What can I do about kids texting intimidating messages to my cell phone and posting mean rumors about me on Facebook? At first I tried to ignore them, but the situation has gotten so bad that I don't want to show my face at school anymore. These people are destroying my life!

How should I deal with the romantic feelings I've developed for my best friend's wife? This woman and I recently acknowledged to one another that the attraction is mutual and that we needed to put some safeguards in place to protect our marriages, but we're not sure how to go about it. My wife and I have been business partners with this couple for over ten years. Do you have any suggestions?

How can we teach our children good listening skills? They seem to have trouble paying attention to instructions and following directions. In my daughter's case, I think she's just defiant most of the time. As for my son, he's very intense and tends to get so locked into television, a book, a videogame, or whatever he's doing that it's almost impossible to pull him away. I find that I'm repeating myself over and over again. Do you have any advice?

How can I get beyond my spouse's critical attitude and forget about the many cruel things she's said to me in the past? After several years of marriage, I've come to point where I just can't take it anymore. I don't believe in divorce, so we're sleeping in separate rooms and living separate lives under the same roof. Now she wants me to forgive her so that we can move forward in our marriage, but from my perspective it's not quite that easy. Her cutting words still burn in my memory, and I'm not ready to become vulnerable again. What should I do?