Life Advice
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Dad Puzzled By The Lack Of Commitment From Daughter's Partner
DEAR ABBY: I am concerned about my daughter. She's in a nice relationship, which seems good. They have two beautiful sons, ages 4 and 2, good jobs, a nice home and nice families who show a lot of support. We are always there for one another.
My concern is that my daughter's partner will not move forward with an engagement and proposal of ...Read more
Single File: Father as Mother
A recent letter in this column has stirred up a virtual hornet's nest. It comes from a 30-something man who -- vigorously and rather unpleasantly -- stakes claim to nearly all parenting rights and privileges in his (hypothetical) marriage. At the moment, he's neither husband nor parent. But he has thought through the battles he'd wage. Example: ...Read more

Apply the burnt toast theory to online dating -- it may save your sanity
You may have heard of the “burnt toast theory.” If you haven’t yet (or need a quick refresher), the idea is this: If you burned your toast while making breakfast, you need to spend another five or 10 minutes making a new piece. That extra time might be annoying and cause you to run late, but it may actually be saving you from something ...Read more

Asking Eric: Daughter-in-law never acknowledges gifts
Dear Eric: Over the years my husband and I have given our son and daughter-in-law many gifts such as kitchen appliances, furniture, a car and other expensive items. These gifts have always been presented to both of them.
Our daughter-in-law has never acknowledged this. We don’t understand why. Our daughter-in-law has a very strong personality...Read more
Parent Wants To Confront Teacher About Son's Injury
DEAR HARRIETTE: My kid twisted his ankle at school today, and the teacher didn't do anything about it. My son told me that he was in pain and was struggling to walk, but instead of sending him to the nurse or calling me, the teacher told him to "walk it off." By the time he got home, his ankle was swollen, and I had to take him to the doctor. ...Read more
Shocking: Man Makes Up A Rule To Justify His Actions
DEAR MISS MANNERS: We threw a small potluck birthday lunch in the break room for one of our co-workers. About four of us contributed; we all work directly with her and know her the best.
We put the leftovers in the fridge, and later in the day, a co-worker who hadn't been at the party helped himself to them.
I'd mentioned that we were each ...Read more
A Mother's Heartache: Reaching Out to My Son
Dear Annie: I'm reaching out with a heavy heart and a mind full of memories. My oldest son, who once called me frequently and with whom I shared countless stories over long phone calls, now seems a stranger. He's married, has two wonderful children and lives out of state. Recently, family drama -- something entirely unrelated to me -- has cast...Read more
A Poem Of Forgiveness Continues To Resonate
DEAR ABBY: While doing some house cleaning, I came across a column of yours that I had clipped and tucked away. On one of the pages I had dog-eared was the poem, "Decide to Forgive." I was struck by how timely it is. The message is much needed at this time. I believe in "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you." Please reprint the ...Read more

Asking Eric: Toxic volunteer ruins charity work
Dear Eric: I belong to an organization that raises money for the less fortunate. Recently, I hosted an event to raise funds for children with disabilities. One of my guests acted very rudely toward my chef and the waitresses. I filed a complaint against this person, there was an investigation, but the results were that my complaints were not ...Read more
Parents Differ On How To Approach Grief Process
DEAR HARRIETTE: My 7-year-old daughter's hamster died last night, and my husband wanted to go buy a new one that looked exactly like her old one so she wouldn't notice that he had died. I said that this is a ridiculous idea; our daughter needs to learn how to deal with situations in life that make her sad. We ended up arguing about it because he...Read more
That's It, We're Bringing Back Gloves
DEAR MISS MANNERS: If we renewed the lovely fashion of wearing gloves, people wouldn't have to fear catching germs from shaking hands or appearing rude for refusing.
GENTLE READER: Why didn't Miss Manners think of that?
Not only would it solve the problems you mention, but it would allow her to wallow in a treasure trove of forgotten customs. ...Read more
Rebuilding Bridge With Brother
Dear Annie: Three years ago, my older brother received a $60,000 settlement, and I believe it changed his perspective on family and our relationship. One day, he offered to loan me $5,000 to either repair my car or put a deposit on a new one. He told me to wait two days, and then he would call me to meet him at the bank.
Up until that point, ...Read more
Wife Of Alcoholic Is Ready To Throw In The Towel
DEAR ABBY: I have been married for 27 years. Most of them have been miserable. My husband has been a functioning alcoholic for more than 40 years. I consider his behavior emotionally abusive. I hate my home. My kids (22, 19 and 17) don't want me to leave him. I live in my bedroom all day by myself except to go to work. He now says he wants to ...Read more

Asking Eric: Boyfriend keeps bringing up past relationships
Dear Eric: We’re two seniors in our late 70s, dating two years. He divorced after a 50-year marriage – she initiated it. I had two short marriages early on; one child. I have had several short relationships and one seven-year relationship, though not living together. The man I’m dating is old-fashioned and unable to stop questioning me and...Read more
Girlfriend's Irresponsibility Irritates Partner
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm at a crossroads with my girlfriend. In our house, we share many of our bills. I take care of things like rent and the car payment for our shared vehicle, and she is supposed to take care of utilities. She has had a history of being a bit reckless with her spending, and I thought that with some of the bills in her name, it ...Read more
Is There A Nice Way To Say 'i Already Knew That'?
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Sometimes people enthusiastically tell me something they think I don't know, particularly about my areas of expertise. Saying "I already knew that" sounds condescending. Pretending I didn't know, and saying something like "That's interesting," seems passive-aggressive.
I have been accused of competing in the first case and ...Read more
Finding Joy in Work: Passion or Perspective?
Dear Annie: It saddens me to see so many people who don't enjoy their jobs. I was fortunate; I spent 42 years as a teacher, and while my first year in a middle school was the toughest, the rest of my career was incredibly fulfilling. I truly loved what I did.
Beyond the classroom, I also coached two or three sports for most of my career, only...Read more
Frustrated Spouse Has Made Healthy Changes Alone
DEAR ABBY: My wife and I went for our annual checkups seven months ago. We were both overweight and told by our respective doctors that we needed to make some lifestyle changes to improve our health. Since that time, I have made the needed changes. As a result, I have lost 40 pounds, and all of my vitals are in a healthy range.
My wife has not ...Read more
Millennial Life: Expect the World To Change -- You Don't Own It
As millennials, we were told not to have kids until we were financially responsible. The world had to be just right. Our careers should be stable. Our savings, sufficient. Our ducks? In a row. Yet, the same generation that was warned about the unpredictability of parenthood was also sold on the idea that homeownership was the key to stability. ...Read more

Asking Eric: Fairytale engagement sours friendship
Dear Eric: My friend Glenda recently got engaged to a man she's only known for nine months. I'm certain she would have married him after much less because he fits in with what an ideal or "fairytale" life looks like. She is very much a "look at me" person on social media, and having a partner after being single for so long is a real moment for ...Read more