ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My oldest child recently moved out, and I'm finding the adjustment harder than I expected. I'm proud of him for taking this step toward independence. This is what I've spent years preparing him to do, but now that it has happened, I'm realizing that I needed some preparation, too.

Copyright 2026, Harriette Cole

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I'm registering a vote to ABANDON MANNERS in a certain context.

Lately telemarketers have a new strategy: They just keep talking without letting you get a word in. They'll even keep asking the same questions, even if you choose not to answer them.

I hung up on one of them yesterday, but I'm feeling bad that A. I didn't hold ...Read more

Dear Annie: I recently had another unpleasant encounter with my 13-year-old granddaughter, and this time we both ended up yelling. What began as a simple conversation quickly turned into hateful answers, a bad attitude and her refusal to speak to me in a respectful or pleasant way.

Unfortunately, this has become a pattern. I have tried to be ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am the mother of a beautiful 30-year-old son, "Caleb," who's married, employed and happy. We have a close relationship, and he thinks Mom and Dad (married 35 years) are awesome. He was also close to his "perfect" grandma, who died recently. He adored her, and she loved and spoiled him.

What he doesn't know is Grandma was a horrific...Read more

Dear Annie: I'm hoping you might have some advice for me about how to meet people and make new friends as an adult. I'm 40, and I've been depressed for about a year. I was seeing a therapist for almost a year, but have recently given up on him. We tried different things, but I still feel pretty stuck and alone. I've tried going out by myself, ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My next-door neighbor, "Dee," has a granddaughter, "Sarah." A year ago, I was friendly with Sarah, but months later, she became disrespectful. She wouldn't listen when I asked her not to ring my doorbell for no reason or tease my cats. I told Dee, and she said she would try to talk to her. Dee said she can't make Sarah mind at times. ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My brother-in-law got caught cheating on his wife, and my husband is defending his brother's actions. This has made me question my husband's values. If he is defending his brother for cheating on his wife, what's stopping him from cheating on me and thinking that there is nothing wrong with that? I understand that this is his ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: The wife of a close friend and college roommate from many years ago started an elite travel agency. They are not hurting for money, as he earns a very good living as a medical professional and they own two impressive homes.

A mutual friend confided in me that she, her husband and friends planned a vacation through their ...Read more

Dear Annie: My girlfriend, "Lucy," and I started dating three years ago, during our senior year of college. After graduating, we both got jobs in the same city where we had gone to school, and we ended up moving in together to save money. Living together was surprisingly easy, as we're both pretty low-maintenance people. Anyway, Lucy is a good ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: A friend's wife's elderly biological father was killed in a one-car auto accident recently. She had been estranged from him for as long as I can remember (more than 30 years?) and told me over the years how much she hated him. She adored her stepfather, who died a few years back.

My friend is now upset with me because I failed to ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I had surgery to remove a bunion from my foot a week ago, and my boss already wants me to come back into work. I work an office job that can be done from home easily, so I thought that while I recovered, it would be better to work remotely for about a month. I live in New York City, and commuting to work on the subway with ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My partner and I are working on our plan to handle gifts gracefully. We're fortunate to have everything we need, and lean strongly toward not mentioning gifts at all in our pre-wedding communications. When guests inquire about gifts directly, we reply with a simple, "We're just looking forward to celebrating with you."

But we...Read more

Dear Annie: A close friend, "Jenna," has a mental illness: She hoards. Her house would be condemned if the health administration were to go there.

I can start tracing this behavior back to when she first became a mother and discovered that raising children requires more than just buying them new clothes and getting pictures taken. She worked ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Our 24-year-old daughter, "Becca," and her 26-year-old boyfriend, "Jason," (the father of our 7-year-old granddaughter) recently bought a home. Jason works only part time -- if he works at all -- and has no interest in a full-time job.

One issue, however, really weighs heavily on our minds. Whenever we pick up our granddaughter (...Read more