Customs, Etiquette and Manners

November 30, 2022

Our Children Won’t Stop Bickering Over Our Vacation Condo. Help!

A reader’s five adult children can’t seem to agree on an equitable arrangement for sharing her and her husband’s unused vacation home during the holidays. My […]
November 23, 2022

How Can I Get the Men to Pitch In at Our Thanksgiving Table?

A reader bristles at the reluctance of her male relatives and neighborhood husbands to volunteer for cleanup duty after meals she hosts at her home. On […]
November 16, 2022

How Can I Stop My Usually Sensible Parents From Splurging on a Milestone?

When her parents receive a windfall after a lifetime of economical living, a reader tries to steer them toward financial restraint — and away from a […]
November 15, 2022

Do Thank-You Notes Still Matter?

In this digital age, a handwritten note may seem like a relic. But etiquette experts say they can be more powerful than ever. These days, checking […]
November 9, 2022

Is My Online Fling Holding Me Back From Dating in Real Life?

A reader wonders if his online-only relationship with a woman who lives abroad is complicating his search for a partner in morning-breath range. I met a […]
September 14, 2022

Why Won’t My Husband Change His Will to Protect Our Baby and Me?

A reader wonders how to negotiate the sensitive subject of her husband’s outdated will, which she worries could leave her and her child without a place […]
September 14, 2022

Why Won’t My Husband Change His Will to Protect Our Baby and Me?

A reader wonders how to negotiate the sensitive subject of her husband’s outdated will, which she worries could leave her and her child without a place […]
August 17, 2022

Why Is My Daughter’s Debt Forgiveness So Upsetting to My Brother?

A parent whose daughter is taking advantage of programs to relieve teachers’ student loans chafes at her brother’s complaints about what he calls a “government handout.” […]
July 28, 2022

Why Is My Sister Telling People About My Miscarriage?

A reader grapples with her sister’s cavalier treatment of personal news that was shared in confidence. I had a miscarriage three weeks ago. My husband and […]
June 30, 2022

My Partner Wants to Move His Parents Into Our House. Help!

Leery of a renovation plan to accommodate a partner’s aging parents, a reader considers pitching in to buy them a house of their own. My partner’s […]