Carolyn Hax: Chilly relationship bugs stepmom, but she’s wrong about its source (washingtonpost.com) Carolyn Hax: Chilly relationship bugs stepmom, but she’s wrong about its source By Carolyn Hax 2026070506570100 Dear Carolyn: I've never felt close to my stepmom. I've felt kind of distant from her and my dad ever since they got married. It's not her fault, but she's picked up on it and it bugs her. The funny thing is it seems to bother my stepmom a lot more than my dad.