A few weeks ago I wrote about the lasting influence of my mom making space and time for things she loved when I was a kid — a bit of modeling I’m so grateful for now, as I take stock of the relationships and pursuits that mean the most to me in midlife.

I also asked readers for stories of the people who shaped them. So many poured in that I...Read more

Several months ago, The Garden Guy told you about a new Supertunia Vista making its debut in 2026. The color is rare in the garden, especially in petunias. It is called Supertunia Vista Cool Jazz. The Vista series has become the go-to for petunias in both the landscape and containers, which means you should be able to find them at your garden ...Read more

Dear Anna,

I’m stuck in an uncomfortable spot between two people I care about, and I don’t know how to handle it without blowing something up.

My partner and my closest friend recently got into a pretty heated argument. It wasn’t about our relationship or someone crossing some huge moral line — it was more a clash of personalities and ...Read more

Q: My extended family always asks me nosy questions around the holiday season. Is there a way I can tell them not to? And if that doesn’t work, what should I say when they ask? I really don’t want to talk about my love life with them. Thanks!

A: I get it. Even if they have the best intentions, it feels so personal, and often invasive, to be...Read more

Q: The holidays are coming, and this is my first-year post-breakup. I'm stressed, more emotional than I have ever been, and overwhelmed and not looking forward to interacting with my children's mother. What's good ex-etiquette when you're trying to manage your own stress while co-parenting through the holidays?

A: The holidays amplify ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The s'more bar was finally bubbling at Altadena Girls' new community space.

A few dozen teen and tween girls, all affected by the wildfires that had ripped their town apart in January, came together for a "cozy cabin" hangout night in downtown Pasadena — some making Christmas ornaments while others applied glittery makeup and ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- If you feel like joy is elusive this holiday season, you're not alone.

2025 has been an especially punishing year across the planet, the nation and for Los Angeles in particular. In the past 12 months, we've witnessed homes destroyed by fire, families broken up by ICE, skyrocketing anti-trans hate and massive layoffs across the ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Observing a young man in a wheelchair with motor impairment struggle to communicate with his parents profoundly affected Chetan Jaiswal.

Jaiswal is an associate professor of computer science at Quinnipiac University.

After meeting the boy at an occupational therapy conference in 2022, Jaiswal decided that more could be done...Read more

Dear Kid Whisperer,

My son is 10 years old and about to turn 11. We have a great relationship with him, and besides some minor behavior issues (occasionally forgetting to clean up a mess, losing homework, getting mad at his younger sister over silly fights), we really don't have any major problems. People like to remind me to "just wait until ...Read more

Q. Our kids seem overwhelmed since the breakup. This is their first holiday in two separate homes, and they are having trouble even knowing how to talk about the holidays. They're also clingier during exchanges, waking up at night and constantly asking who they'll be with. We keep telling them everything will be OK, but nothing is helping. What'...Read more

It’s easy to get swept away in the latest viral holiday trend or marketing push. This year, it’s a Ralph Lauren Christmas. Don’t miss the Viral TikTok garland. Stuff your stockings with lippies, digital cameras and ice rollers. Hide the elf on the shelf in a new place every day.

But many of us can’t afford a whole new haul of holiday ...Read more

The labor and delivery portrayed in the Christmas story has been highly sanitized. We have softened the realities of Christ’s birth with pillowy mounds of straw, cattle gently lowing, moonlight streaming in through strategically placed windows and an inexperienced husband attending the birth like a seasoned OB/GYN who has delivered hundreds.

...Read more

ATLANTA -- Anxious, depressed, isolated and worthless — that’s how the DeKalb County School District said its 91,000 students increasingly feel. From TikTok to YouTube, Georgia’s third-largest school district points to a $4 million social media addiction problem.

Now, paired with new research from the University of Georgia, phone use is ...Read more

EDITOR’S NOTE: Editorial Page editor Megan Schrader takes a side in the “real vs. fake” Christmas tree debate. Look for the counterpoint by Features coordinator Barbara Ellis, slugged HOME-TREES-DEBATE-FAKE:DP.

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If you’ve tried to buy a fresh Christmas tree since 2020, the sticker shock probably drove you to check out the plastic ...Read more

When it comes to household chores, I work for free. And I’m worth every penny.

But since I’m on a fixed income, I am thinking of charging for my services.

“You don’t do anything,” said my wife, Sue, who is the family banker.

“That’s not true,” I replied defensively.

“What do you do, take out the garbage?” she said.

“...Read more

EDITOR’S NOTE: Features coordinator Barbara Ellis takes a side in the “real vs. fake” Christmas tree debate. Look for the counterpoint by Editorial Page editor Megan Schrader, slugged HOME-TREES-DEBATE-REAL:DP.

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I can still see my dad, hand slapping his forehead, looking exasperated, as my mom instructed (OK, bossed) him on how to �...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Traveling near the Warehouse District with Derrek Miranda is akin to riding in a motorcade with an elected official.

Under the moniker Whitewallstuntz, Miranda has carved out a name for himself in downtown Los Angeles. On social media, he can be seen cutting through the most downtrodden parts of Skid Row on his white and neon ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — During the first four years of California's new transitional kindergarten program, 167 community-based preschools in Los Angeles County shut down, unable to financially survive amid enrollment drops or pivot to more costly infant and toddler care, according to new U.C. Berkeley research.

The closures represent some painful and ...Read more