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Snore more teasing

Dear Annie: Growing up, my siblings and I would make fun of my mom’s snoring all the time. To be fair, the noise seemingly could wake the dead; she sounded like she was sawing logs every night. Her snoring became one of our favorite family jokes, and to this day it’s brought up on a pretty regular basis.

Recently, I discovered that my mom almost didn’t go on a trip to Italy with a group of friends because she was scared that no one would be able to stay in her room because of her snoring. And this fear has contributed to some serious insomnia. I hadn’t realized the extent of her anxiety around the topic until learning that.

And now I feel really guilty for all the times I’ve made fun of her. Now when I tell her it’s not that bad, she doesn’t believe me. Annie, I don’t know how to make up for years of teasing my mom without being able to turn back the clock. — Restless Nights

Dear Restless Nights: It doesn’t do anyone any good to feel guilty while dwelling on past regrets. What’s done is done. When you know better, you do better, and it sounds like you now realize that teasing your mom about snoring was not a helpful thing to do. But clearly you already know that because you are writing to me about it. Say sorry and make amends. Instead of focusing on what you did wrong in the past, tell your mother about all those things that she did right during your childhood.

Praising her and building her up could help alleviate some of the anxiety. If snoring is truly preventing your mom from having fun with friends, encourage her to seek professional help. There are doctors who have become experts on techniques to limit snoring, and it sounds like she would be grateful for any help she can get.

Editor’s note: Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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