Advice - The Washington Post

(Illustration by Nick Galifianakis for The Washington Post)

December 3

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Latest Advice

Miss Manners: Why ask permission to recline my own airplane seat?

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin7 hours ago

Carolyn Hax: Spouse feels left out of mother-in-law’s dying wishes

By Carolyn Hax7 hours ago

Asking Eric: Mother repeatedly says she loves grandchild more than her kids

By R. Eric Thomas7 hours ago

Miss Manners: Don’t treat our holiday party invite like a burden

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinYesterday

Asking Eric: I don’t want to be friends with an ex anymore

By R. Eric ThomasYesterday

Carolyn Hax: Take money from husband’s rich family to join huge, luxury reunion?

By Carolyn HaxYesterday

My wife wants more affection than I can give. Hax readers give advice.

By Carolyn Hax and Haben Kelati2 days ago

Asking Eric: I can’t enjoy my deck because of my neighbors’ pot smoking

By R. Eric Thomas2 days ago

Carolyn Hax: She wants to encourage son’s girlfriend to continue her pregnancy

By Carolyn Hax2 days ago

Asking Eric: I found my husband ‘streaming cheating’ on me

By R. Eric Thomas3 days ago

Miss Manners: Friend didn’t offer to pay for dinner when we were visiting

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin3 days ago

Carolyn Hax: Elderly neighbor shows up in distress on their doorstep

By Carolyn Hax3 days ago

Asking Eric: Friend doesn’t want to manage my disabled son’s finances when I’m gone

By R. Eric Thomas4 days ago

Carolyn Hax: Husband’s inability to stand up to parents isn’t okay anymore

By Carolyn Hax4 days ago

Miss Manners: Declining a wedding invite because I don’t have the right attire

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin4 days ago

Ask Sahaj: Do I need to accept mom’s critical comments as ‘just the culture’?

By Sahaj Kaur Kohli5 days ago

Work Advice: How to deal with a customer’s abusive online messages

By Karla L. Miller5 days ago

Asking Eric: My renter is refusing to pay utilities she says she didn’t use

By R. Eric Thomas5 days ago

Miss Manners: Should I have attended a ‘peripheral’ friend’s funeral?

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin5 days ago

Carolyn Hax: New job took care of the burnout. So why doesn’t it feel better?

By Carolyn Hax5 days ago

Featured Writers

Carolyn Hax

Carolyn Hax writes a daily advice column for The Washington Post and has a weekly live online discussion.

Ask Carolyn a question

Sahaj Kaur Kohli

Sahaj Kaur Kohli is a therapist and the creator of Brown Girl Therapy.

Ask Sahaj a question

Elaine Welteroth

Elaine Welteroth writes the Ask Elaine advice column for The Washington Post.

Ask Elaine a question

Karla L. Miller

Karla L. Miller offers weekly advice on workplace dramas and traumas.

Ask Karla a question

Carolyn Hax chat: Husband’s daughter doesn’t like me and is skipping the holidays

Advice columnist Carolyn Hax answers your questions about the strange train we call life.

Updated Friday, November 22, at 12 p.m. EST

More live chats

(Illustration by Nick Galifianakis for The Washington Post)

Carolyn Hax: Take money from husband’s rich family to join huge, luxury reunion?

A letter writer balks at accepting money to attend husband’s large family reunion, but he sees it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

December 2

My wife wants more affection than I can give. Hax readers give advice.

December 1

Carolyn Hax: She wants to encourage son’s girlfriend to continue her pregnancy

December 1

Carolyn Hax: Elderly neighbor shows up in distress on their doorstep

November 30

Carolyn Hax: Husband’s inability to stand up to parents isn’t okay anymore

November 29

Carolyn Hax archives

The Best of Carolyn Hax

Recent Carolyn Hax Live Chats

Carolyn Hax chat: Husband’s daughter doesn’t like me and is skipping the holidays

Updated November 22

Carolyn Hax chat: How do I wean myself off social media?

November 8

Carolyn Hax chat: My husband’s request for his time off feels really unfair

November 1

Carolyn Hax chat: Travel? Prepare? Couple disagrees on what to do before having kids.

October 25

More Carolyn Hax chats

NewsletterFRIDAYS

Carolyn Hax’s live Q&A: Sign up to get an email alert when Carolyn Hax’s weekly advice Q&A begins each Friday.

Asking Eric: Mother repeatedly says she loves grandchild more than her kids

Siblings hurt by their mom constantly saying she loves her new grandkid more than her kids.

December 3

Asking Eric: I don’t want to be friends with an ex anymore

December 2

Asking Eric: I can’t enjoy my deck because of my neighbors’ pot smoking

December 1

Asking Eric: I found my husband ‘streaming cheating’ on me

November 30

Asking Eric archive

Miss Manners: Why ask permission to recline my own airplane seat?

Letter writer doesn’t understand asking people behind you if you can recline your airplane seat.

December 3

Miss Manners: Don’t treat our holiday party invite like a burden

December 2

Miss Manners: Friend didn’t offer to pay for dinner when we were visiting

November 30

Miss Manners: Declining a wedding invite because I don’t have the right attire

November 29

Miss Manners archive

Ask Sahaj: Do I need to accept mom’s critical comments as ‘just the culture’?

Siblings tell the letter writer to deal with their mom’s critical and hurtful comments.

November 28

Ask Sahaj: My in-laws’ visits last for months. I’m at my wit’s end.

November 21

Ask Sahaj: My ex’s mom blackmailed him into breaking up with me

November 14

Ask Sahaj: How do I support a struggling friend without giving her money?

November 7

Ask Sahaj archives

Ask Elaine: I’ve been crying for days over what my boyfriend’s mom said about race

An Afro-Latina grad student and her boyfriend have dated for almost a year, but his mom’s comments about white supremacy make her want to “escape this racist family.”

September 24

Ask Elaine: Is it a bad idea to interview for a new job in my third trimester?

August 27

Ask Elaine: I’m too ashamed to face a friend after our argument

July 30

Ask Elaine: My daughter-in-law keeps asking me about my son’s flaws

June 25

Ask Elaine archives

More Parenting Advice

(Illustration by María Alconada Brooks/The Washington Post; iStock)

My father-in-law calls my 1-year-old ‘fatty’ and has weigh-ins for the cousins

Letter writer’s partner doesn’t understand how damaging his dad’s mean nickname for their 1-year-old is.

November 27

I’m worried my 19-year-old has a crush on a teacher

November 20

I’m so disappointed my grandson laughed when I got hurt. What should I do?

November 13

Is my 8-year-old’s bully being nice to me to hurt her even more?

November 6

Parenting advice archive

More Work Advice

(iStock)

Work Advice: How to deal with a customer’s abusive online messages

A user keeps posting rude, insulting comments on our website, but our boss doesn’t seem inclined to do anything about it.

November 28

Work Advice: I’m uncomfortable with our CEO invoking Jesus in meetings

November 21

Work Advice: Co-worker uses team chat as his personal platform

November 14

Work Advice: How far should I go to accommodate a neurodivergent colleague?

October 31

Work advice archive

Husband’s lax handwashing triggers my OCD. Give advice to this Hax question.

By Carolyn Hax and Haben KelatiWednesday, November 27

My father-in-law calls my 1-year-old ‘fatty’ and has weigh-ins for the cousins

By Meghan LeahyWednesday, November 27

Carolyn Hax: Widow doesn’t want husband’s estranged sister at memorial service

By Carolyn HaxWednesday, November 27

Asking Eric: A week after my partner’s death, I learned about his affairs

By R. Eric ThomasWednesday, November 27

Miss Manners: How to give a nice wedding speech when I hate my son’s fiancée

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinWednesday, November 27

Miss Manners: My brother is openly racist, misogynistic and homophobic

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinTuesday, November 26

Asking Eric: My late husband’s estranged sister texts me too much

By R. Eric ThomasTuesday, November 26

Carolyn Hax: Colleague stumbles into the middle of a family secret

By Carolyn HaxTuesday, November 26

Carolyn Hax: A cheater’s new fiancée wants to hear his ex’s side of the story

By Carolyn HaxMonday, November 25

Asking Eric: I was horrible to my husband after his accident. Will he forgive me?

By R. Eric ThomasMonday, November 25

Miss Manners: We host 2 holiday parties to accommodate all our friends

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinMonday, November 25

Asking Eric: Estate theft divides siblings, but one brother wants to reconcile

By R. Eric ThomasSunday, November 24

Carolyn Hax: He wants his fiancée to ‘go along’ with his family’s gender roles

By Carolyn HaxSunday, November 24

Miss Manners: Close friend moved back and didn’t tell me for 6 weeks

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinSaturday, November 23

Asking Eric: Nephew disappears into his video games during visits

By R. Eric ThomasSaturday, November 23

Carolyn Hax: Obvious reason for breakup doesn’t seem so in anxious retrospect

By Carolyn HaxSaturday, November 23

Miss Manners: Bride falsely promised wedding website would be private

By Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinFriday, November 22

Carolyn Hax: Boyfriend is the guest at the party who won’t take a hint and leave

By Carolyn HaxFriday, November 22

Asking Eric: Husband threatens self harm to delay divorce

By R. Eric ThomasFriday, November 22

My wife wants more affection than I can give. Give advice to this Hax question.

By Carolyn Hax and Haben KelatiThursday, November 21

Ask Sahaj: My in-laws’ visits last for months. I’m at my wit’s end.

By Sahaj Kaur KohliThursday, November 21

Work Advice: I’m uncomfortable with our CEO invoking Jesus in meetings

By Karla L. MillerThursday, November 21

Asking Eric: Uncles don’t acknowledge niece’s birthday with gift or card

By R. Eric ThomasThursday, November 21

Carolyn Hax: Boyfriend gives gifts that he would like for himself

By Carolyn HaxThursday, November 21