ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 16-year-old teenage daughter landed a part-time job this semester, and I can tell she's really feeling the pressure of trying to juggle work, school and her social life all at once. I want to support her independence and growth, but I can see how stressed out she is getting. I'm trying to figure out how to help her balance ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A pair of neighbors hosted my wife and me for an impromptu dinner, to which we contributed a nice salad. The food was fine, the apartment lovely. We have sent them a thank-you note.

I know that we aren't required to reciprocate by inviting them to dinner in our apartment (thank goodness). But honestly, I don't want to ...Read more

Dear Annie: This is not a letter to play the victim, so please hear me out. My mother has caused me so much hurt for as far back as I can remember. When I was a kid, I was sexually abused by my brother. I told her, and she said I was lying. I used to think I was adopted because there was no way a parent could be so mean to a biological child. ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I was physically, emotionally and sexually abused by my oldest brother (six years my senior) from ages 6 to 11. As soon as I could verbalize what was happening, I went to my parents and told them. They believed me, but swept it under the rug and didn't provide any kind of therapy or treatment for either of us.

At 15, I had a mental ...Read more

The situation has eased somewhat, but the divorced dads of this world are still having a tough time winning custody of their children. The role of primary caregiver is usually given to the woman, and the man of the house has no more house -- nor home. His children become part-time guests. His family role is decimated -- as is his bank account ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm a 26-year-old freelance writer who's been struggling to find a steady stream of clients and projects. A few months ago, a friend generously offered to refer me to someone in his network, but they have started making demands for quick turnarounds and extra revisions beyond what was initially agreed upon. They often communicate...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I, along with a friend, pre-purchased hard-to-get opera tickets. We've looked forward to attending for many months.

However, we just learned that our companion intends to bring her extremely unruly "comfort" poodle -- not only to the opera, but also to a lovely restaurant for dinner beforehand. This dog is ...Read more

Dear Annie: My adult daughter was very close friends with a woman, her husband and their two teenage daughters. When her friend moved across the country, my daughter was heartbroken. However, they continued to talk, text and email almost daily. My daughter even traveled across the country and considered the possibility of moving to a nearby ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I appreciate you offering your booklet "How to Be Popular" to people who are uncomfortable or uncertain in social situations. I don't know if the following tips are included, but here's what I do: When I meet someone for the first time, I say, "Tell me three things about yourself that you would like to share." As I listen to the ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister and I co-manage our family business, a local bakery. We're clashing over its direction: I prefer to maintain our traditional baking techniques and recipes, which have served us well for years. She wants to import and sell modern, trendy breads from other shops to diversify our offerings. In short, she wants to hop on ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a good friend who is the polar opposite of me on politics, religion and almost every other subject. We are cognizant of these differences, and refrain from debate or argument on these subjects. Amazingly, we still have things to talk about!

However, she sent me a letter in which she requested that I support a nonprofit...Read more

Dear Readers: A great number of you wrote in about abusive partners and how you finally opened up the cage and flew out.

Here are two letters that I found especially interesting:

Dear Annie: While I respect "Married" for finally leaving her abuser -- I've been there myself -- I need to point something out. She mentions staying until her ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I'm a mature male who had a weight problem years ago. When I turned 50, I was diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, hypertension and diabetes. I took my doctor's advice about diet and 150 minutes of exercise a week. Fast-forward to today, and I have lost almost half my body weight and am now in good shape.

My problem now is finding ...Read more