For the first episode of 2026, I have my mom, Kathy Sackheim, in the studio for her 6th appearance on the podcast to help me answer a stack of listener questions straight from the Dear Nina inbox.We move quickly through a range of friendship dilemmas from listeners: milestone birthday expectationsuneven effortfriend group tensionan uncomfortable confrontationa group chat blowupreaching out after a long gap since the last hangoutand what to do when a friend’s choices leave you conflicted and/or burdened (We slightly disagreed about that last one!)My mom, at 80, brings decades of perspective and a refreshingly no-nonsense approach to friendship. We talk about being realistic without becoming resentful, staying nonjudgmental, knowing when to widen your circle instead of forcing a group dynamic to work, and why friends and romantic partners serve very different roles in our lives.This episode is thoughtful, candid, and practical—exactly what happens when I put a microphone in front of my mom and let her answer your questions honestly.PREVIOUS 5 EPISODES WITH MY MOM:Ep. #1. The Friend Who Will Only Text:Ep. #8. When Friends Ask Questions You Don’t Want to AnswerEp. #36. Widowhood and FriendshipEp. #50. How Friendships Change With Age, Overlooking Foibles, Dealing With Our Teens’ Friendships, and moreEp. #72. Grudges and Apologies in FriendshipsLINKED MENTIONED:Find the anonymous questions in the newsletter at dearnina.substack.comAsk an anonymous question The live episode in Chicago was Ep. #160Join the Dear Nina Facebook Group ALL THE DEAR NINA LINKS + CONTACT INFO📢 How to promote your service, business, or book on Dear Nina📱 Subscribe to my newsletter “Conversations About Friendship” on Substack❤️ Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, & the Dear Nina Facebook group📪 Ask an anonymous friendship question🔎 Want to work with me on your podcast, your friendships, or need another link? That’s probably here.THIS WEEK'S SPONSOR: Download Slowly to make a genuine friendship today. It’s free on the App Store and Google Play. Download link: https://open.slowly.app/miXL/54lnblyi

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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