ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a nanny, and I lost track of the child I was watching while we were in the library. I told the parents about it because I wanted to be transparent, and they fired me. They said this incident made them lose trust in me and my capabilities to watch their child. It has been hard to find another nanny job, because they won't ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: If I am late to a doctor's appointment, I may not get to see the doctor at all, but I will still be charged for having missed the appointment. But if I get there on time, I usually have to cool my heels for a long time -- sometimes for close to an hour -- before the doctor will see me.

Yes, I've complained. I get one of two ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are in our 70s, and he is experiencing depression from lack of contact with his children. I don't mean Facebook, because he sees them on there. They do not call like they did in the past. I am sure they feel that since he can actually see them on the screen, he knows what they are up to and what they are doing. Thus,...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My youngest son is getting married this spring, and they have decided they want a child-free wedding reception. We have three grandchildren, ages 3 to 7. The wedding is where my son and his fiancee live, so we are all traveling. They have asked all three kids to be in the wedding party as flower girls and the ring bearer, but ...Read more

Dear Annie: My husband and I are in our early 60s, married for 40-plus years. We plan to retire and travel soon. But the past year or so he seemed to become obsessed with his smartphone, holding his phone all the time and guarding it. I asked him if he had a Facebook account and he said no. But when I entered his cell number in the Facebook ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am writing for advice on how to be supportive of my adult children in light of an alleged crime committed by their mother. She was arrested for first-degree murder. The victim was my children's younger half-sibling.

I am especially challenged dealing with my daughter. She is supporting her mother in this. She says she has already ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a college student in New York City, and I work part-time for a beauty store that carries dozens of brands. A brand owner and CEO came into my boutique the other day and spoke with both me and my manager. I jokingly told the owner that if he ever needs a marketing intern to let me know, and we exchanged information. When he ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am wondering what to say when I meet new people and they question my first name. I have always accepted whatever name someone calls himself, whether it's conventional like John or Steven or a nickname like Cookie, Corky, R.J. or Button.

I would consider it rude to ask the person what their "real" name is or what the ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've never written an advice column before, but I honestly don't know where else to turn.

My mother is elderly, physically frail and becoming increasingly confused. Earlier this year, she developed pneumonia and was so sick she could barely function. Her longtime boyfriend, who'd spent years neglecting, stealing from and verbally ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I've been with my husband, "Ted," for nearly 15 years, married for 11. He has two children, 38 and 33, and I have one who is 32. When we started dating, none of our children planned to have children of their own. I made it clear from the start that I have no desire to be a grandma. I'm a teacher and work with kids all day, every day, ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I went out shopping yesterday, and I ended up in a huge fight with my husband -- but not for the reasons you think. My husband started a new job recently. His previous job called for him to be in a uniform almost always, but this new role calls for business casual attire. Based on what I've been seeing him put on in his first few...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: How does one politely respond to someone who hijacks a compliment about an item of jewelry and basically turns it into an appraisal?

When a guest asked me about my necklace, I responded that it is a Jerusalem cross, that the gems are opals and that it is a treasured gift from my mother from her recent trip to Jerusalem. My ...Read more

Dear Annie: I've been married to a wonderful man for 30 years. His family has always made me feel like an outsider -- rude, dismissive, the works.

Ten years ago, I finally stepped back from them. We reconnected briefly five years ago when his father passed, mostly with his mother, but this year they've slid right back into their old habits. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: Do charities and nonprofits share or sell donor information? For years, maybe decades, I've made quarterly contributions to two well-known charities for children's cancer research hospitals, and I truly believe in what they do. However, over the last few years, I have started receiving an increasing number of requests for money.

One ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My daughter is dating a man who is 17 years older than her, and I am livid. I told her that neither of them is likely in the relationship for honest reasons as he is a wealthy man and she is in her mid-20s.

I don't want to meet this man, but my daughter wants me to. She insists that I am judging their relationship before I've ...Read more