How do in-laws avoid hurt feelings? LostMom13 wrote to say she felt snubbed because her daughter-in-law’s family didn’t invite her to attend a christening. “My son and DIL were godparents,” LostMom13 wrote. “This was a family affair of my DIL’s, and I am usually included. Am I wrong to feel hurt?” I doubt anyone was purposely trying to hurt your […]
more about: relationships
Five Battles That Aren’t Worth Fighting With Teenagers, and Five That Are
A highly subjective list, from this mother of three boys: It is not worth fighting over… 1) Wearing a winter coat instead of that flimsy springlike thing, even though it is 25 degrees. 2) Rearranging his room so it’s more aesthetically pleasing to you. 3) Cutting his hair in a way that’s more aesthetically pleasing to you. 4) The ability […]
How to Explain Why Mommy and Daddy Don’t Live Together Anymore: Blog It
I think the phrase we’re supposed to use to describe what happens when a blogger publicly reveals the most intimate details of her personal life is: “full disclosure.” But how do you describe the urge that prompted the revelation? A few days ago, readers of the popular mommy blog at Dooce.com learned that blogger Heather Armstrong and her husband (previously […]
Manicures, Anyone? (How to Get Rid of a Tagalong Boyfriend)
A reader named idlemusings wrote to say it bothers her that one of her girlfriends always asks, before the two of them spend time together, if it’s OK for her boyfriend to tag along. “While we’ve all known each other for many years and I enjoy his company, sometimes I just want some girl time,” idlemusings wrote. “How do I […]
Anybody Up for #BeNiceDecade?
Thank you, everybody, for weighing in during Real Simple’s Be Nice on the Internet Week with so many excellent suggestions about how to improve civility online. It’s hard to pick favorites from among your tweets, email messages and comments, but here are a few of your tips I can’t resist repeating: On Twitter, reader @EtiquettePage asked: “Are you using your […]
#BeNiceWeek: To Tweet or Not to Tweet?
How to behave politely on Twitter is one question Hamlet did not have to face. In retrospect, the prince of Denmark got off easy, because the only sticky social situations he had to navigate were how to deal with his father’s murderer, his mother’s adultery and his own feelings of inadequacy. But if Shakespeare’s most famous hero also had to parse […]
Welcome to the Family. Say Goodbye to Your Perfume
A reader named IowaMama wrote to say her future sister-in-law is giving her headaches. Luckily, it’s not a personality clash; it’s simply a case of too much perfume. “At least two different perfumes are part of her daily grooming routine,” IowaMama wrote. “I have a very sensitive sense of smell, to the point that her beauty products make me nauseous […]
What Do You Call a Man Who Gossips About His Mother?
“Other people is the world’s most fascinating subject,” according to the author Joseph Epstein. In his new book, “Gossip,” Epstein argues that it’s human nature to tell stories about each other. He even defends gossip, for its power to uncover the truth or arm us with information we may need to know. Of course, Epstein acknowledges that gossip can be […]
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Someone You Don’t Know. Surprise!
“Occasionally, when I invite friends to lunch or dinner, they invite another person along without speaking to me about it first,” a reader named Carrie wrote recently. “At times, I have something personal I want to share or discuss,” Carrie wrote, adding that she wonders if it is rude to invite someone else without asking. “Or is this the new […]
