Customs, Etiquette and Manners

September 11, 2024

My Cousin’s Young Children Are Hellions! What Can I Do?

A reader is unsure how best to help a cousin she sees as a little sister but who so far hasn’t asked for any parenting advice. […]
June 26, 2024

Why Do I Have to Choose Between My Grandmother’s Funeral and a Birthday Party?

A reader’s brother-in-law is insisting that she accompany her children to his 1-year-old’s birthday party, even though attending would require her to miss an important funeral. […]
June 13, 2024

Living Out Loud Without Headphones Highlights a Public Etiquette Debate

Welcome to their conversation. (Or YouTube video. Or baseball game.) For people bothered by the liberal use of speakerphones, the public sphere can be a circle […]
March 25, 2024

What ‘KateGate’ Says About Royalty, Celebrity and Internet Culture

Many Americans used to view the Windsors with excitement, even admiration, beyond that shown to other public figures. Are they basically Kardashians now? Once upon a […]
March 25, 2024

What ‘KateGate’ Says About Royalty, Celebrity and Internet Culture

Many Americans used to view the Windsors with excitement, even admiration, beyond that shown to other public figures. Are they basically Kardashians now? Once upon a […]
March 6, 2024

Why Won’t Our Daughter Introduce Us to Her New Boyfriend?

Parents who enjoy an otherwise close relationship with their 33-year-old daughter feel hurt not to have been introduced to a man she met three months ago […]
December 20, 2023

Lift a Pinky. It’s Time for Tea.

Phoebe Cheong and Jude Andam, friends who live on opposite coasts, have recently begun a tradition whenever they see each other. They have tea. On a […]
October 25, 2023

How Can I Get Myself Invited to My Husband’s Family Parties?

A new wife is eager to join in the fun after her husband and brother-in-law wrap up their weekly jam sessions, but she’s reluctant to impose […]
September 30, 2023

How to Have Fun When Attending a Wedding Alone

Attending a wedding alone can be anxiety-inducing. Here are some tips for having fun even when you don’t know most of the guests. Lucy Mary Taylor […]
September 20, 2023

Why Is My Mother Obsessed With Buying Me a Status Bag?

A reader who is uncomfortable with expensive gifts doesn’t know how to respond to a $7,000 handbag she had begged her mother not to send. My […]