Dear Daithi - Irish Examiner

Agony uncle Dáithí Ó Sé is here to answer your questions.

<p>"I’m sorry to hear you lost your husband, and I really get the sense from your letter that he was the love of your life and not only that, it sounds like he has taken a part of you with him."</p>

people

Dear Dáithí: I lost the love of my life, and now I feel like I'm living half a life

"I often speak to people who have lost a husband or wife who have been married for a long time and there is always a feeling that they are betraying their partners if they move left or right, and this is never the real case"

<p>Dear Dáithí: "In the evening after we put our daughter to bed he’s constantly watching TikToks on the couch while we're supposed to be watching Netflix together."</p>

people

Dear Dáithí: 'We have screen time limits for our daughter — should we do the same thing for her dad?'

<p>"Between the cost of living and trying to save for a house deposit, a trip away is out of the question. I feel like I’m being left behind while everyone else is having the best time."</p>

people

Dear Dáithí: Am I wasting my summer by saving money and not going on holiday or to concerts?

Sad young girl feeling lonely sit alone in coffee shop

people

Dear Dáithí: My future in-laws are freezing me out — what should I do?

people

Dear Dáithí: I have a life-changing disease, but I don't want to tell my family

people

Dear Dáithí: My teenager is using new pronouns — how can I be supportive?

Displeased parents arguing while paying their bills over laptop at home.

Dear Dáithí: We're clashing on how to raise our daughter — I don't want to be the bad cop all the time

I do not want my child growing up in a broken home and I'm trying to walk the line between keeping my partner happy and not compromising on my own ideals

Mon, 23 Jun, 2025

Young Couple Arguing and Fighting. Domestic Violence Scene of Emotional abuse, Stressed Woman and aggressive Man Having Almost V

Dear Dáithí: My perfect girlfriend is horrible to me behind closed doors

We’ve built a life together, but I don’t feel I can relax or be myself around her, like I need to improve on everything. I keep hoping things will get better, but they don’t. How do you know when it’s time to stop trying — and start walking away?

Mon, 16 Jun, 2025

Mature couple fighting at home sitting on the sofa.

Dear Dáithí: I'm 50, I feel invisible and stuck. What can I do to start loving life again?

You and your husband get on fine, but the spark has gone. After getting everyone else sorted, that is a good place to be. I know people who are at this stage and are ready to go in different directions and can’t stand the sight of each other

Mon, 02 Jun, 2025

Dear Dáithí: 'How do I get my son and his family to move from America back to Ireland?'

I just can’t ignore the fear in my heart. Am I being too dramatic?

Mon, 12 May, 2025

Dear Dáithí: I want holidays to be just for us — not the in-laws

You need this time to relax and get away from everyday life — and you don’t want tantrums ruining your buzz

Mon, 05 May, 2025

Dear Dáithí: My best friend has gone back to her cheater of a boyfriend and I'm furious

People don’t change without real effort and accountability, and if she’s saying he has changed, she may be too close to the situation to see clearly

Mon, 21 Apr, 2025

Dear Dáithí: Should I let my absent father walk me down the aisle on my wedding day?

Your father believes this role belongs to him, but in this case, it doesn’t. You’ll need to make that clear

Mon, 07 Apr, 2025

Dear Dáithí: ‘My paranoid partner calls me names in front of the children’

I think it is so important that children today have good, strong male role models, and what I’m seeing and hearing here is the very opposite

Mon, 31 Mar, 2025

Dear Dáithí: Am I super-intolerant now or is my co-worker the worst?

It reminds me of a person who brought fish to work and stunk the place out cooking it during the day. I’d no problem with this person getting their omega 3s, but you need to clean up properly after yourself.

Mon, 24 Mar, 2025

Dear Dáithí: My daughters are upset I want my new partner to move into the family home

My wife passed away 10 years ago and I recently met a very nice lady through a walking club

Mon, 17 Mar, 2025

Dear Dáithí: 'My neighbour hurts me deeply with her 'jokes' and I've had enough'

Dear Dáithí: I've nothing in common with the other parents — except kids

"For example, we spent over an hour at a coffee shop recently talking about a new kitchen. There’s a genocide happening in real time, that I can’t sleep over, but please tell me what tiles you’re picking out."

Sun, 02 Mar, 2025

Dear Dáithí: I've given up drink and my boyfriend and friends are giving me grief over it

"...I too have continued dry January into this month and am feeling great. My friends are saying the same thing to me but in a very jokey way and thankfully it has stayed jokey for me, but I think the jokes for you are long gone."

Mon, 24 Feb, 2025

Dear Dáithí: 'My neighbour hurts me deeply with her 'jokes' and I've had enough'

"Being a quiet, polite shy person is who you are and you should never lower your standards for others especially when their values don’t come close to yours."

Mon, 17 Feb, 2025

Dear Dáithí: I'm a new dad — and I feel like my friends have abandoned me

"A lot of people, not only men, bury their head in the sand, hoping that something like this will go away, but it also rarely does until you do something about it and take action."

Mon, 10 Feb, 2025

Dear Dáithí: My sister has decided I'm minding our aging mother - without consulting me

In any situation in life no matter what it is if you focus on problems, you will find more problems and it’s the same with solutions, so we focus on solutions

Mon, 27 Jan, 2025

Dear Dáithí: I'm losing my son to a controlling girlfriend

Dear Dáithí: 'My grandchildren live overseas, and my heart is broken from missing them'

"I do think it's time to have a chat as a family, because the family are scattered all over - ye could put a plan together that sometimes they visit you at different times of the year. This will give you time with all the different people, especially the children."

Mon, 20 Jan, 2025

Dear Dáithí: I'm losing my son to a controlling girlfriend

"She has him eating well, working out and off the drink. I think you should ask him how he is feeling these days."

Mon, 13 Jan, 2025

Dear Dáithí: My husband is forcing my daughter to take part in sports, but she hates them

"Your husband is a coach and I’m sure he sees the benefits of sports and I know it’s especially hard to keep young girls involved in sports and I agree with him that it is very important, but at what cost?"

Mon, 06 Jan, 2025

Dear Dáithí: 'My wife is mad because I'm texting a female co-worker - but it's completely innocent'

'I feel it shouldn't matter what gender my friend is, and my wife is being ridiculous. I think she's taking her feelings of frustration out on me - unfairly.'

Tue, 24 Dec, 2024

Dear Dáithí: I want Christmas away with my husband, without his brother ruining everything

Dear Dáithí, I’m sure you get lots of letters complaining about family at this time of year, but I’m actually at the end of my tether and I don’t know what to do! My brother-in-law is ...

Mon, 16 Dec, 2024

Dear Dáithí: My girlfriend follows muscular lads — I'm not muscular, and am now feeling insecure

The main thing to remember here is that nobody has done anything wrong: all that has happened is that your insecurities in your head have overtaken reality in real life

Mon, 02 Dec, 2024

Dear Dáithí: I'm worrying about my teen's Leaving Cert... and their post-exam holiday

"Your teenager is working hard at the moment, and from reading between the lines this might be the first time in a long time that he is, and I’d keep this going for as long as possible."

Mon, 25 Nov, 2024

Dear Dáithí: Why can’t I find the perfect soulmate?

"You need to get off your arse, or you’ll give the rest of your weekends sitting on it, and we don’t want that."

Mon, 18 Nov, 2024

Dear Dáithí: I'm so disappointed in my daughter — she is using screens to parent my grandchildren

Remember parenting has changed but you haven’t, so you too need to adjust here, but all of this is coming from a good place, so keep it there, all will be good.

Mon, 11 Nov, 2024

Dear Dáithí: My daughter is with an older guy — she seems to make all the sacrifice in the relationship

He has children from a previous relationship and doesn't want any more. She says she doesn't want children but I know in my heart this is not true. How can I make her see sense?

Mon, 28 Oct, 2024

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Dear Dáithí: I lost the love of my life, and now I feel like I'm living half a life

Dear Dáithí: 'We have screen time limits for our daughter — should we do the same thing for her dad?'

Dear Dáithí: Am I wasting my summer by saving money and not going on holiday or to concerts?

Dear Dáithí: My future in-laws are freezing me out — what should I do?

Dear Dáithí: I have a life-changing disease, but I don't want to tell my family

Dear Dáithí: My teenager is using new pronouns — how can I be supportive?

Dear Dáithí: We're clashing on how to raise our daughter — I don't want to be the bad cop all the time

Dear Dáithí: My perfect girlfriend is horrible to me behind closed doors

Dear Dáithí: I'm 50, I feel invisible and stuck. What can I do to start loving life again?

Dear Dáithí: 'How do I get my son and his family to move from America back to Ireland?'

Dear Dáithí: I want holidays to be just for us — not the in-laws

Dear Dáithí: My best friend has gone back to her cheater of a boyfriend and I'm furious

Dear Dáithí: Should I let my absent father walk me down the aisle on my wedding day?

Dear Dáithí: ‘My paranoid partner calls me names in front of the children’

Dear Dáithí: Am I super-intolerant now or is my co-worker the worst?

Dear Dáithí: My daughters are upset I want my new partner to move into the family home

Dear Dáithí: I've nothing in common with the other parents — except kids

Dear Dáithí: I've given up drink and my boyfriend and friends are giving me grief over it

Dear Dáithí: 'My neighbour hurts me deeply with her 'jokes' and I've had enough'

Dear Dáithí: I'm a new dad — and I feel like my friends have abandoned me

Dear Dáithí: My sister has decided I'm minding our aging mother - without consulting me

Dear Dáithí: 'My grandchildren live overseas, and my heart is broken from missing them'

Dear Dáithí: I'm losing my son to a controlling girlfriend

Dear Dáithí: My husband is forcing my daughter to take part in sports, but she hates them

Dear Dáithí: 'My wife is mad because I'm texting a female co-worker - but it's completely innocent'

Dear Dáithí: I want Christmas away with my husband, without his brother ruining everything

Dear Dáithí: My girlfriend follows muscular lads — I'm not muscular, and am now feeling insecure

Dear Dáithí: I'm worrying about my teen's Leaving Cert... and their post-exam holiday

Dear Dáithí: Why can’t I find the perfect soulmate?

Dear Dáithí: I'm so disappointed in my daughter — she is using screens to parent my grandchildren

Dear Dáithí: My daughter is with an older guy — she seems to make all the sacrifice in the relationship

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