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DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman PHOEBEANDHERUNICORN DanaSimpson ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Iamindes- perate need of your help. I am getting married in three months. I am marrying a wonderful man. He has three chil- dren by his ex-wife. I'm worried about be- coming a stepmother. The kids are 15, 13 and 9 — all boys. They are with their mom during the week and with their dad on the weekends. We all get along, but I don't know if I am ready to be a stepmom. I don't want the boys to feel like I am trying to take the place of their mom. Can you help? —NewStepmom DEAR STEPMOM » Nothing can prepare you for be- ing a stepparent. Unlike parents, stepparents are thrust into a parental role with children who are already formed, complete with habits, challenges — and often with divided loyalties. Stepparenting is an experience that pres- ents most of the challeng- es of parenting, but with very different rewards. My most succinct wisdom on stepparenting is this: Be a friend to the children, and supportive of your spouse. You are NOT their mother. All the same, it is important that they realize you and your husband are building a family — and that they are a vital part of it. Slide into your role gradually. Get to know the children as individu- als and spend the major- ity of your time with them listening. Do NOT punish them if they misbehave — discipline is their father's job (for now). Discuss all of your con- cerns with your husband and try to present a con- sistent and united front. Being a successful stepparent relies on being in a successful and strong marriage. Your marriage will be tested. Hang in. DEAR AMY » I live in a neighborhood of 10 hous- es. Half of the residents are over 55 and others are in their 30s. Every year one of the "older" residents has a summer barbecue. She sends out invitations requesting an RSVP. The newer neigh- bors either don't RSVP until the day before, or RSVP earlier and either cancel or don't show. It's almost as if they wait to see if a better of- fer comes up. If she runs into someone who hasn't RSVP'd and asks if they are coming, they tell her, "will let her know." Is this a generational thing? Are they so busy they forget? Or are they so pompous that they think their pres- en ce i s a gi ft t o t he r e s t of us and we should tolerate their lack of consider- ation. And we wonder where the old neighbor- hoods have gone! — Glad I'm Not Hosting DEAR GLAD » The reason the younger neighbors be- have this way is because they don't host things. They've never had to deal with the frustration of not knowing if anyone will show for their shindig. Your neighbor is kind and generous to try to pull the neighborhood together in this w ay. She mi ght have a higher RSVP yield if she sends her invite electroni- cally — but there is no guarantee of this. Woman concerned about her upcoming role as stepmother You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@tribune.com and follow her on Twitter @askingamy. Amy Dickinson Ask Amy Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Leo(July23-Aug.22)—If you don't make it clear where you want to be and what you want to do, you will end up in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Your generosity will go a long way. Not only will you feel a sense of contentment, you will be recognized and rewarded for your efforts. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — You will be inclined to overreact to minor issues, causing you to miss something major that needs to be addressed. Think before you speak. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Problems with relatives require diplomacy and tact. Ac- cusations or pointing fingers will cause a rift in your relationship. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Focus on money matters. Financial plans can be suc- cessful if you examine all of the details carefully. You will make more headway on your own than you will in a joint venture. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — The daily grind will cause you to forget a promise. A short get- away will help clear your mind and confirm what you want to do next. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — You are a catalyst who can make things happen. Take charge of your life and future. Subtle improvements to your living space will make things easier. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Put your heart and soul into everything you do. Your intuition will lead you in the right direction. You will meet someone who motivates you and challenges you intellectually. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Tie up loose ends. Don't be hasty when it comes to making a personal decision. Take a step back and reflect on the pros and cons before you commit to a change. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Don't hold back. Take the plunge and use your imagina- tion to its fullest. Stop worrying about what others think or do and tackle your own plans for the future. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Financial issues will prey on your mind. Check out a home-based or part-time job to subsidize your income. Cut out inessential expenditures until your bank account improves. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — You will receive helpful sugges- tions from an unlikely source. Your ability to see clearly will help you change your direction. Self-discipline and originality will help you succeed. Horoscope By Eugenia Last WEDNESDAY, AUG. 12 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2015 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 3 B