ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 13-year-old daughter recently got into trouble at school, and now I'm torn about whether to let her go ahead with the birthday party we've been planning for her.

The situation at school was serious: She was caught being disrespectful to a teacher and breaking some of the school rules. When I spoke to her about it, she seemed ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We have friends who seem to think every little milestone should be celebrated like a small wedding. They hold celebrations and attach a wish list, sometimes with hundreds of gift ideas, to every invitation. Birthday parties, gender-reveal parties, baby showers (for every child, often asking for a box of diapers as well as a ...Read more

Dear Readers: Wishing you all a very happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day!

I thought it would be a good time to find some impactful quotes from presidential inaugural speeches and from King's "I Have a Dream" speech. I found quotes that inspire, unify and motivate audiences toward a shared vision for the nation. Comparing ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My sister, brother and I lost our mom to dementia six months ago. We needed to start cleaning out the house. My brother, who lives in assisted living was unable to help.

When I mentioned to my sister that I was going to start cleaning out the kitchen, she told me she didn't want me there alone. I told her when a person offers to help...Read more

I'm the wifely stereotype in one aspect: I'm the one in the relationship who lets their car decay and slightly hides it from their spouse for as long as they can. Just until we have to swap cars because his gets better gas mileage for a trip. That's when I have to spill the beans: My heater stopped working, the brakes have gotten squeakier, and ...Read more

Dear Annie: After nine years of waiting for him to propose, I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and popped the question myself. His response? He said he'd need to "see what his finances look like" -- and then a week later, he broke up with me via text.

Looking back, it's painfully clear: If he doesn't ask, he doesn't want to. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have been friends with another couple for 15 years. We would see each other once or twice a week, alternating between each other's home and occasionally out to dinner, where we took turns paying the bill.

Three years ago, we bought our dream home, and since then, our friends have stopped inviting us over to theirs. ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently went on a first date with a guy, and I'm trying to decide if I should give him another chance. On one hand, he was kind and respectful toward me, which I really appreciated. However, there were a few things that made me feel unsure about whether I want to continue seeing him.

First, he invited me out for drinks, and I...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is the proper etiquette for disembarking a plane when the aisles are full and someone's bag is several rows behind them?

I was getting off a flight when a couple in the row in front of me tried to get other passengers to retrieve their large carry-on bags from the overhead compartments, four rows back, and pass them up ...Read more

Dear Annie: I just wanted to say thank you for keeping an open mind.

I've noticed that, on different occasions, readers sometimes challenge you or want to "add to" some of your answers based on their education or personal experiences.

You are willing to keep an open mind and welcome the input. For that, I say, BRAVO!

Of course, not all of the...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I have started seeing someone I've known for years. On our first date, he told me he had tried multiple times to divorce his ex of many years. He said they live in different states, and each time he's tried, something has gone awry.

I'm about to start nursing school, and what I want is a relationship of convenience to work around my ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: At the beginning of last year, I met the man of my dreams. He continues to amaze me in more ways than one: He prioritizes me; he's really considerate and affectionate; he's accomplished and ambitious; AND he's hilarious. Lately, though, I've been having some concerns about what our future will look like. He has three children ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A friend from college works in Europe now and asked to stay with me for 10 days when he was here visiting. I made sure he had fresh towels every day.

His first day here, he flooded my bathroom floor while taking a shower (he said he "forgot how shower curtains work") and called for help. I quickly grabbed a towel and threw it...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a very dear friend who is like family. I am 20 years older than she is, and at times I feel more like a surrogate mother than a big sister.

I know she has mental health problems, including anger management, trust issues, obsessive-compulsive disorder and, at times, I think, narcissistic tendencies. But she truly is a good ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have four kids, so there are many, many appointments to make and keep. We both have full-time jobs, so we split up the responsibilities by category; I get the pediatrician visits, and he does orthodontist and dentist. This works fine for me, but for some reason, these offices are stubbornly unwilling to communicate ...Read more