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 expectations
uneven effort
friend group tension
an uncomfortable confrontation
a group chat blowup
reaching out after a long gap since the last hangout
and 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 Answer
Ep. #36. Widowhood and Friendship
Ep. #50. How Friendships Change With Age, Overlooking Foibles, Dealing With Our Teens’ Friendships, and more
Ep. #72. Grudges and Apologies in Friendships

LINKED MENTIONED:

Find the anonymous questions in the newsletter at dearnina.substack.com
Ask an anonymous question
The live episode in Chicago was Ep. #160
Join the Dear Nina Facebook Group

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Our sponsor this week is Esther Goldenberg, author of THE SONG OF THE BLUE BIRD, sold everywhere you love to buy books. Special thank you, as always, to my assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs!

Raise Your visibility on LinkedIn - inside the book