ArcaMax

Dear Annie: My husband and I are trying to figure out how to emotionally support our adult daughter, who is 40 years old. She is going through a very emotional period in her life.

She has been married for about a year, has "major issues" with her spouse and is not certain she can "stay in the relationship." But from our conversations with her ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I've been seeing a man, "Barry," who worked with my younger brother. They had an altercation at work, and Barry was terminated for misconduct. My brother, "Rob," is upset with me because I still see him. Barry did reach out to Rob to apologize and see if they could move on. While my brother has forgiven Barry, he has chosen to have no...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm feeling frustrated with my brother's girlfriend, and I could use your perspective. "Sally" often stays over at our house, especially on days when she doesn't have classes, as she's about to graduate college. Meanwhile, my brother "Bill" is already working, and he covers all of the household expenses since our parents are ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My spouse and I frequently host meals for 10 to 20 guests, both personally and professionally. We have a debate over whether to put out spoons for meals when we are not serving soup.

My spouse contends that spoons may be used for things other than soup (e.g. spreads, or the last bits of thin sauces). I prefer not to set out ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have had many odd symptoms over the years that got worse, and it has taken much research to finally get help. I have deficiencies in vitamins D and B12 that require more than a multivitamin. Doctors don't learn nutrition in medical school and are unaware of what deficiencies look like. Vitamins aren't part of routine bloodwork. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been married for two years, together for five. He's a wonderful man I love dearly. I always felt called to be a mother, and he has expressed the same about being a father. He would be an incredible father, and I'd love nothing more than to raise children with him.

The conflict is that, over the past year or so, ...Read more

Therapist waiting rooms are inherently awkward. We're all working through something. I'll sit and chat in a doctor's office, especially with the older generations who aren't as glued to their phones. At the therapist, I've picked sliding into a seat and being riveted to my small screen.

This week, though, I sat, hunched over, and caught a: "...Read more

Dear Annie: My daughter and her father and I were always close. We talked daily, telling one another about our days. She has three children. We paid for preschool for all of them, bought their clothes and even bought a condo for them to live in while she went to law school. She is our only living child; we were in a position to help, and we were...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I retired a few years ago to a neighborhood where most of the residents are our age, and we have become friendly with the widow next door. My husband and I help her out with any minor home issues she runs into and some light gardening. We are happy to do this. She and I also occasionally get together for coffee.

She ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister's fiance recently broke off their engagement, and she is absolutely devastated. They had been together for five years, and their relationship seemed solid. They had been planning their wedding for the past year, with invitations sent out, deposits paid and countless hours spent preparing for what was supposed to be one ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the proper response to someone who is very vocal when you are driving, and not in a way that is helpful? For example, when I am driving us to a restaurant and we pull into the parking lot, they will tell me I could have used a closer entrance. (I may or may not have seen the other entrance, but either way, it really ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for five years. We have a beautiful daughter, and we've got a son on the way. But I keep finding my husband using dating websites and chatrooms for singles. When I ask him about it, he gets angry and says, "That's from months ago!" But whenever I check the browser history, there are always more ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Should I be mad at the father of my unborn child for not coming with me to travel out of the country? My cousin is being married in Mexico. However, my partner, "Gabriel," isn't going because one of his good friends is getting married the same weekend.

We found out only recently that I am pregnant, and by the time my cousin's wedding...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 21-year-old woman, and I am feeling increasingly stressed and overwhelmed about my parents' low savings. Over the past few years, my mom and dad have been making it known to me and my siblings that they have very little savings and are unsure if they will ever be able to retire. This revelation has created a significant ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Fifteen minutes after arriving at an informal family get-together at someone's home, a relative took a phone call. She stepped out of the room where everyone was gathered and could be heard down the hall talking for the next 45 minutes.

This kind of thing seems to happen rather often. Am I alone in viewing it as inconsiderate...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a neighbor who is 90 years old. Her only caregiver was her adult son, who just died last week after a long struggle with opioid addiction. Since then, I and another neighbor have been checking on her several times a day, as she needs a lot of care. We've been grocery shopping for her, picking up prescriptions and running ...Read more